Fall in proportion of older adults with dementia: IMH study

Increased employment and education, lower stroke prevalence behind decrease, it says

- Joyce Teo

A study has found that the prevalence of dementia among older adults aged 60 and above in Singapore has dropped to 8.8 per cent or one in 11 people from 10 per cent a decade ago.

Increased employment among this group, higher education and a lower stroke prevalence contributed to the fall, said the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), which is behind the study.

Dr Mythily Subramaniam, assistant chairman of IMH's medical board for research and a co-investigator of the study, said: "We observed that more older adults in Singapore were employed and had higher education in 2023 compared with 2013.

"Furthermore, the prevalence of stroke, which is a risk factor for dementia, has decreased from 2013 to 2023, according to the Wise study." Professor Chong Siow Ann, a senior consultant in the research division and psychosis department at IMH, said that over the past decade, the Government has introduced a slew of initiatives to promote active ageing, and the early detection and treatment of chronic conditions that could contribute to cognitive impairment.

These efforts may have helped to bend the curve.

The findings, on how common dementia is and its impact on caregivers, from the second Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (Wise) study were released on Aug 28.