The Rising Number of Dementia Cases in Singapore and Asia

Number of dementia cases increases with the ageing population

About 1 in 10 people aged 60 and above in Singapore have dementia (IMH). According to the Population in Brief report, the proportion of elderly citizens in Singapore aged 65 and above was 19.1% in 2023. This proportion is expected to continue to grow, reaching 1 in 4 citizens (24.1%) by 2030. In the next 6 years, it is projected that 152,000 people will suffer from dementia (Health Hub).

The United Nations (UN) defines a country as an “ageing society” when 7% or more of its population is aged 65 or older. When this cohort constitutes 14% or more of the population, it is considered an “aged society”. In a “super-aged society,” the share is 20% or higher. Singapore is fast approaching this ‘super-aged’ society status and is expected to reach it in 2 years (2026). The average life expectancy in Singapore also continues to increase, rising to be 85.4 years in 2040.

Along with this increase in life expectancy and ageing population, the number of people living with dementia is also expected to grow. The same is also true for other age-linked conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

It is in our best interest to take active steps to maintain our health and well-being.

After all, the hope is not to just live longer, but to live longer in good health.

Similar trends in other Asian countries

In Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the age-specific dementia prevalence (number of dementia cases in a specific age group) is reported to be on the increase. In other parts of the world, dementia prevalence is stable across age groups. Nevertheless, the number of people living with dementia is expected to increase, along with the growing senior population (Livingston et al., 2020).

Country	Latest Reported Dementia Prevalence	Projection
Singapore (IMH)	10% for those aged 60 and above (approximately 82,000 cases in 2018)	152,000 cases by 2030
Japan (Nakahori et al., 2021)	Nationwide standardised prevalence of 15.7% in 2014	Nationwide prevalence to exceed 25% by 2045. Above 30% in 12 of 47 prefectures.
South Korea (Shin, 2022)	9.95% in those aged 65 and above in 2016	16.09% in those aged 65 and above by 2050
Hong Kong	3% – 8% in those aged 65 and above; 20% – 30% among those aged over 80 years old based on data collected in 2016 – 2017 (Health Authority) (Jockey Club “Post-diagnostic Support in Dementia Care Programme”)	Number of dementia cases in those aged 60 and above in Hong Kong will increase by 222% to 332,688 dementia cases in 2039 (Yu et al., 2012)
China	6% in those aged 60 years and above in 2020 (Jia et al, 2020)	Number of dementia cases in China is projected to increase by approximately three-fold to 48.98 million (Li, Qin, Zhu, and Jia, 2021)
Taiwan (Ministry of Health and Welfare)	7.99% in those aged 65 and over, equivalent to about 350,000 cases in 2024	470,000 people with dementia by 2031 and 680,000 by 2041

Responding to the rising dementia tide

The table above have shown that number of dementia cases will inevitable increase in the future. It is high time to put highlight on healthy ageing, building awareness of dementia, encourage help-seeking and reduce stigma associated with mental health diseases. Beyond that, public education must also focus on the role of caregivers, and how the community can support each other.

“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”

– Rosalyn Carter

With the ever-increasing number of cases, government across the globe are rolling out preventive programmes with aims to prevent or at least delay the onset of dementia. Singapore has rolled out the Age Well SG programme, China has their ‘Healthy China 2030’ plan, Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has been organising the “Healthy Ageing in Public Rental Housing Estates” programme. South Korea has ramped up efforts to give older adults opportunity to study and explore new jobs, and Japan has been a frontrunner in population ageing interventions including dual-task cognitive activities, forest bathing.

Most are developed to target the modifiable risk factors identified in The Lancet Commission. The Lancet paper reported that these risk factors account for 40% of dementia cases worldwide. Theoretically, those cases could have been prevented, or at least delayed if we control the risk factors.

The paper classifies the 12 risk factors into a life-course model of dementia prevention:

Life Stage	Risk Factor(s)
Early life	Education Level
Midlife	Hearing loss Traumatic brain injury High blood pressure (hypertension) Alcohol intake Obesity
Later life	Smoking Depression Low social contact Physical inactivity Air pollution Diabetes

The classification into different life-stages shows that it is never too early or too late to take action to prevent dementia.

Learn more about the “Rising Tide of Dementia in Asia” through our webinar!

On 30 May, join our experts to hear more about the prevalence of dementia in China, Taiwan, and Singapore as well as the different dementia prevention programmes available. Chaired by Emeritus Professor Kua Ee Heok, we are honoured to welcome Professor Li Chunbo, Professor Chong Mian Yoon, and Assistant Professor Ted Ng to share their insights.