Epidemiology of dementia

Abstract

Because of the increasing life expectancy during the next decades the number of demented will steeply rise. The estimated number of people suffering from dementia in Austria will increase from 90,500 persons in the year 2000 to 233,800 persons in the year 2050. During the same period the estimated number of those developing a dementia within one year will rise from 23,600 to 59,500. In contrast, in the next five decades, the population being in an employable age will decrease to 77%. Thus, the proportion of demented in relation to employable people will considerably increase. While in year 2000 there were 56 employable persons per one demented person, in the year 2050 there will be only 17 employable persons per one demented person. Dementing disorders are a main reason for being admitted to nursing homes. In Austrian nursing homes 63.5% of those newly admitted suffer from dementia. Despite of the fact that a large proportion of dementia sufferers are being cared in nursing homes, the majority lives in their private households supported by their family members. Relatives of demented persons experience a large amount of burden, and need more professional help than is available today. The costs of dementing disorders are high and a large proportion is paid by the patients family. In the future, in Austria more specialized day care facilities for the demented and more nursing homes are necessary.