WA facing biggest increase in dementia cases in next 30 years, distressing new figures reveal

More than 85,000 West Australians are expected to be living with dementia by 2054 — the highest estimated increase of any State or Territory. Dementia Australia has revealed the number of West Australians living with dementia in 2026 has increased to an estimated 43,400 with those figures set to double in the next 30 years. WA’s fast growing, and ageing population are main contributing factors to blame for the predicted increase in dementia prevalence in the State. The findings have prompted the national peak body for dementia to call for urgent investment into the progressive condition, which causes a decline in cognitive functions including memory, thinking, and behaviour. An estimated 446,500 people are currently living with dementia across the country, which is expected to balloon to 812,500 by 2054. WA electorates make up the top five areas across the country for the biggest estimated increase in people with dementia in the next 30 years. This includes Perth, where numbers are expected to more than double from 3166 this year to 6470 in 2054. Curtin is expected to see a jump from 3666 people to 7480. Swan is also forecast to see a more than doubling from 3082 this year to 6206 in 2054 and Tangney has a projected growth to 7294 from 3625. Fremantle is predicted to have a 98 per cent increase from 2689 to 5320 in the next 30 years. Dementia Australia client services WA manager Fiona Simpson said the figures emphasised the need to support people living with dementia and also provide funding for a national dementia action plan. It is hoped the action plan would prioritise a brain health campaign to raise awareness of the condition, rolling out dementia care navigators to improve timely access to support, and building up the workforce in aged care and support services. Dementia Australia is currently working with the WA Government on the first State dementia action plan, which would reinforce the aims of the national plan. Vivienne Dawes, whose husband David was diagnosed with dementia in 2008, said she wanted an action plan to highlight the modifiable risk factors that could help prevent people from getting the life-altering condition. The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care found that nearly half of all cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors. The newest risk factors include visual loss and high cholesterol while hearing loss, social isolation, and depression are also major risk factors for developing the condition. Ms Dawes said her husband was showing indicators of dementia up to 10 years before he was diagnosed. “I knocked on a lot of doors before he got the diagnosis and I know a lot of people spend about 10 years in the sort of prodrome leading up to diagnosis,” she said. “Basically, David was asleep on the couch during the day for 10 years working out excuses not to do anything. He was very apathetic and had insomnia, and they are very common prodromes for Alzheimer’s. ‘”I do hope that people take the messages about the modifiable risk factors seriously as before these estimated increases occur, it might be that a number of cases could actually be prevented in different ways. “We are living longer but that does come with a price and so the rise in the number of dementia cases is a new challenge for the health system and for the community but we’re onto it now.” If this story has prompted any questions, please call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.