More Australians are living with and dying from dementia than ever before, according to the latest figures. Photo: pixababy. Dementia is now topping the list of causes of death for Australians, according to the latest update from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The AIHW has launched its Dementia in Australia report update to coincide with Dementia Action Week (15 to 21 September), which suggests that without significant intervention, the number of Australians living with dementia will exceed 1 million by 2065. In 2023, dementia was the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for almost 17,400 deaths, or 9.5 per cent of all deaths.
Dementia was the leading cause of death for women and the second leading cause for men, after coronary heart disease. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Australians with dementia are women. “The number of deaths due to dementia increased from 8500 deaths in 2009 to 17,400 deaths in 2023,” the report states.
“This could be due to a range of factors, including greater awareness of dementia and changes in death certificate coding practices.
Published: September 15, 2025 7:02 pm
Source: Region Canberra — Read original