The report of the umbrella organisation of national Alzheimer associations, which was recently presented and refers to recent studies of dementia by various research groups, shows that the proportion of dementia patients, with Alzheimer’s for example, will increase considerably in the next decades, up to 2050. Due to the demographic change of societies and population growth, there will be 2.7 million dementia patients in Germany by 2050. In 2018, the figure will be only 1.6 million, which corresponds to a rate of 1.9 percent. By 2050, on the other hand, 3.4 percent of the German population will be affected by dementia. Estimates for Europe even assume that the number of people suffering from dementia will double in the same period. Experts from Alzheimer Europe also explain, however, that older projections had predicted higher rates of illness in the future. Healthier lifestyles, but also a better level of education and improved prevention and control of heart disease as risk factors have already led to a lower incidence rate of dementia. However, scientists are concerned about people over the age of 85, a group that will double in numbers by 2050, particularly in Germany. But rising numbers, also in the EU, especially in this age group, are causing the costs of the health systems to skyrocket. Therefore, the director of Alzheimer Europe, Jean Georges, calls on politicians to prepare for new and greater challenges for health and care systems. Research into the treatment of dementia & Co. and prevention must also receive greater financial support.
