Number of Australians living with dementia predicted to triple in 30 years

The Ambassador for Alzheimer's Australia, Ita Buttrose, says many pensioners who have Alzheimer's disease are, in her words, "pretty well stuffed" -- in other words, in a dire situation. Alzheimer's Australia estimates that by 2060, the cost of dementia associated diseases, like Alzheimer's, will cost 83 billion dollars and will represent around 11 per cent of health and residential aged care sector spending. More than 300,000 Australians are living with dementia but that number is predicted to triple in the next 30 years partly because of the ageing population.

Thanasis Zovoilis/Getty Images Source: Thanasis Zovoilis/Getty Images