Dementia has now officially overtaken ischaemic heart disease to become Australia’s number one cause of death for 2024, as we described here. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), dementia is responsible for a shocking 17,500 deaths this year alone. This number accounts for 9.4 percent of all deaths. And that indeed represents a profound change in the nation’s mortality landscape.
Since 2016, dementia has been the leading cause of death for Australian women. Today, over 62 percent of deaths from dementia are women. The median age at which people with dementia die is 88.7 years. This mind-boggling statistic paints a picture of how damaging this debilitating condition can be among our older Americans.
Over the last 10 years, dementia has increasingly become one of the top 10 causes of death. Between 2015 and 2024, dementia deaths increased by almost 39 percent. This worrisome spike underscores the public health crisis the disease has become.
The ABS data showed one profound change – in 2024, dementia overtook heart disease as the most common cause of death in Australians. It even outpaced ischaemic heart disease for the first time ever. This transition has shed light on a major demographic shift. Second, as people live longer, they are at greater risk of developing dementia.
“People are now more likely to live to an age where they have a higher risk of developing dementia,” – Lauren Moran, ABS’ head of mortality statistics.
Moran went on to explain that this phenomenon is even more acute for women, since they tend to live longer on average.
Dementia’s effect on mortality rates is particularly striking in Australia. In 2024 alone, dementia was the contributing cause of 16,275 deaths, of which the median age at death is 83 years. It shows a marked rise in the number of deaths attributed to dementia. It’s a symptom of a shifting demographic landscape—that older populations are more vulnerable to the accumulation of multiple age-related conditions (Morley, 2004).
Professor Tanya Buchanan, CEO Dementia Australia, said the future of this growing public health emergency was startling and urgent. She pointed out that there are now an estimated 433,300 Australians diagnosed with dementia. Even with strong intervention measures, this number is still expected to increase to over a million by 2065.
“We need to act on dementia now,” – Professor Tanya Buchanan, CEO of Dementia Australia.
Buchanan likes to see more public awareness campaigns around dementia and brain health so we can reduce the stigma surrounding the disease. She reiterated the need for First Nations quality care across health, aged care, disability and the community sectors.
“Across health, aged, disability and community care sectors, we need to ensure quality dementia care, with palliative care tailored to the needs of people living with dementia, their families and carers at the end of their life,” – Lauren Moran.
The ABS data provides critical insights into the rising prevalence of dementia and its effects on mortality rates in Australia. The steady increase in deaths caused by this condition signals an urgent need for public health interventions and increased funding toward research and support services.
Moran emphasized that aging and genetics are immutable risk factors. Fortunately, we might be able to prevent or at least postpone as much as 45 percent of global dementia cases by addressing modifiable risk factors.
“Although there are things we cannot change, like getting older or genetics, we now know that up to 45 percent of dementia cases globally could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors,” – Lauren Moran.
With dementia-related deaths increasing, this is an urgent and ongoing public health crisis. To combat the growing epidemic of substance use disorder, we must craft holistic approaches to address it. Our nation is at a breaking point in dementia care. Now more than ever, it is imperative that our healthcare providers and policymakers invest in comprehensive support systems for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
