Executive summary

Dementia is a dreadful disease and a growing global challenge. The number of people living with dementia across the OECD reached nearly 19 million people in 2017, while millions of family members and friends provide care and support to loved ones with the condition throughout their lives. Beyond the personal and emotional toll of dementia, its financial costs are vast. The worldwide health and social costs of dementia were estimated to reach USD 1 trillion per year in 2018. Dementia is strongly associated with age. This makes the ageing of the population in many OECD countries the main factor associated with the growing dementia prevalence. As the share of the population aged above 80 years continues to rise, and until a cure or disease modifying treatment is found, the number of people living with dementia will continue to grow, and is likely to reach nearly 41 million people in the OECD by 2050.