First report released on dementia care in Commonwealth’s 56 countries

With 55 million people living with dementia around the world, costing $1.3 trillion US dollars annually, the release of the first report on dementia in Commonwealth countries is a call to action.

According to Dementia in the Commonwealth report, only 11% of Commonwealth nations have a National Dementia Plan, despite the World Health Organization calling on all countries to make dementia a public health priority with the development of dementia plans. 

"Despite much progress being made, there is still a long way to go for this to become a reality," said Dame Carol Black GBE, the Commonwealth Secretary General's Special Envoy on Ageing Well.

"Now is the time for concerted action across the Commonwealth to ensure that every country has a co-ordinated multi-sector plan to ensure that plans are implemented without delay."

The report, released last week at The Dementia Centre's International Dementia Conference (IDC), by CommonAge, the Commonwealth's association for the ageing, looks at the current state of dementia care and support. 

It highlights inequities in access to supports across the Commonwealth, workforce shortages, and a requirement for new funding strategies.