Together with over 50 other national science academies, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences endorses a joint “Call for Action to tackle the growing burden of Dementia” issued by the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP).
In the Statement, IAP highlights the fact that, worldwide, the proportion of the population that is 65 years of age or greater has grown over the last decades, and this trend will continue. Also, because advancing age is the greatest known risk factor for dementia, the number of individuals living with dementia worldwide will nearly triple by 2050. Most of this increase will occur among people living in low- and middle-income countries.
The IAP for Health Statement, therefore, specifically calls on governments and other healthcare providers to implement a number of practices, including:
- Increasing awareness by educating the public about dementia and on how to maintain brain health.
- Supporting research to find and implement effective approaches (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological) to delay, prevent, slow-down, treat, ameliorate, and eventually cure the common causes of dementia.
- Investing in national healthcare systems, including both training a sufficient number and mix of providers as well as building the necessary infrastructure to ensure timely, competent person-centered care is available to those living with dementia.