India’s Dementia Cases Set to Quadruple by 2036 Amid Budget Shortfall

[{"selector":"#anim-8a27150d-1708-4237-866b-867110ead64a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5151d459-07aa-4188-9514-5d5db954150a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba2083dc-85ef-4db4-bc20-c047b45363e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d63f714-fb27-4d56-93d5-3149c82392b0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] India’s Dementia Cases Set to Quadruple by 2036 Amid Budget Shortfall Tejal Somvanshi

India's aging population seems to be growing due to better healthcare and fitness awareness causing a rise in dementia cases.

[{"selector":"#anim-491443f2-81c2-40a3-9b86-d853322fa252","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ac66ea1-e031-4d7d-9a01-bc7ca7ff8c62","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-916c2722-2457-47db-90ef-6d1433a2f947","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5a2cf04-35f5-4ada-abb7-8e601f267077","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8fc6e8e-57ee-4683-96e8-216996c3aa88","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Yan Krukau (Pixels)

The 2023 Longitudinal Aging Study of India (LASI) found that 7.4% of Indians aged 60+ have dementia, with higher rates in women and rural areas.

[{"selector":"#anim-690e93b0-cf44-4b38-8bd4-1df74faf7ab3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-662a60d8-d803-4155-bb26-0acde3b05a19","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.72400%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-260c8e76-5527-4e5f-a092-79e748a6a541","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f4d6e6ac-f968-4c99-9dc2-309999bcf0bc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13d06457-0e66-409b-abe3-74befb924d7b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Amit Chowdhury (Pexels)

Dementia cases in India are expected to quadruple by 2036.

[{"selector":"#anim-266c935b-d5cc-4def-a54a-4278e98c2d5a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-881e4326-5cb5-4b30-8db2-e0a71ffcb7c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4a4c2e6-4b3d-4bec-9dd5-49a4786782a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9edc2d47-d693-4319-a680-e608132c7044","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bda219c-23c4-4526-8471-40564c12c5d3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Max Roser (CC BY-SA 4.0)

India allocates only Rs. 16.14 billion– 0.033% of its Rs. 48.21 trillion national budget–to mental health and elder care, despite 5.3 million dementia cases since 2020.

[{"selector":"#anim-68b1cd09-87d6-4544-9614-b2950a38cca7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c4ea33f-f465-4e60-90df-0cc7251fd3fd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.72400%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4053f85f-5d0e-4ac5-a0a8-59a429fc83d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75851111-454a-4116-9714-b4d8ba74d975","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-184d46eb-d7c9-4778-8590-30ea935e8b03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Jeffrey Beall (CC BY 4.0)

According to Sailesh Mishra there are no government-run dementia care centers and existing old-age homes are unequipped for dementia patients.

[{"selector":"#anim-a27156a2-7e7e-4b46-b3e3-156661d7b690","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ceb72e3d-5fe9-4d21-aea5-0805acd32b8c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eff23382-5a99-4fc9-acb9-c55e589e32d1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c41a059-450d-40e9-86f2-bc4a6a5382e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d69d7d16-bb59-40cc-ad8c-b2077ddd6e6f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Joegoauk Goa (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Dementia care facilities like Silver Innings in Mumbai face lack of government support for facilities like these.

[{"selector":"#anim-44b8b1c1-3d67-477d-b5b4-9b57686c48e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bcdfa6a9-edce-48c1-ad03-8328de4eba5a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 249.72502%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-248cb396-c116-431c-a51b-5d033a907103","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c344f1e-cd3e-4cd5-be22-34d7b3b19b71","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa4dab9a-e3ff-481b-9b88-6eaec22a7d7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: DesiBoy101 (CC BY 4.0)

The study calls for public awareness campaigns, accessible diagnostics, public-private partnerships, and more dementia care homes and daycare centers.

[{"selector":"#anim-da756205-fe22-4de6-a2ce-ee04c3c53998","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-625e9d21-1a79-45b6-8d59-de76fe2baef2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-872dc88b-276a-41e6-bf81-160805411afe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00e47f1d-f803-4595-966e-2b68e4d7ea18","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b6694f9-cb4c-4235-9cff-2a478fe02d55","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Jsme MILA (Pexels)

Training for frontline workers, multidisciplinary teams, and digital interventions is essential for improved dementia care.

[{"selector":"#anim-24ef94ba-b1a0-48e9-aea4-b7cbae5b8559","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba96d286-3f6f-4220-81c6-7efa06489786","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.78631%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a14fa0b-2422-4250-ba6c-20a80bd8b94e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-006d80df-56e1-4d16-ae5d-af241fe39acb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-291d9d30-306d-4b4c-bd2c-a1702a7258a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Tima Miroshnichenko (Pexels)

Researchers urge the Indian government to implement a national policy for dementia and increase funding in the 2025-26 budget.

[{"selector":"#anim-1f1ad97d-4744-41f0-90b9-b46b1233f10e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5056d122-2685-425d-b694-ec5883c90d41","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52d89cf5-f905-4283-9729-2a10ed8d6cc6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-391e59a8-3c49-4af4-a0bf-3e1c84e2c8a5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e25332f-10c3-44d4-847e-bb9b3b263265","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Ninara (CC BY 2.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-27900c5c-3cfd-4305-8923-ff00e2ed9768","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-abcb17d6-1bcd-4415-8a0e-986fe79a120a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43f2e357-d695-4767-87cd-048c84c72536","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1cf6493-8dbb-4363-91fa-6341de2954d1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee83e7b0-e97b-496b-a72a-7dd44ff90f1d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Child Flu Death in Kentucky Sparks Concern as 9,000 Cases Surge Learn more