AGING: Dementia cases are set to double by 2050 — as doctor calls it an ‘accelerating epidemic crisis.’

Researchers from UNSW Sydney’s Center for Healthy Brain Aging analyzed data from 22 studies and found that there were 11.4 million new dementia cases in 2023 — a number that’s projected to more than double to 24.7 million by 2050.

This means that every year, the equivalent of the population of Australia will develop dementia, according to geriatrician Dr. Liron Sinvani, the director of research and innovation for the Northwell Institute for Healthy Aging

“In terms of the scale, obviously, this number of new dementia cases is staggering,” Sinvani told The Post. “This is not a future problem. It’s an accelerating epidemic crisis that demands immediate attention.”

The new study focused on incidence — the rate at which people develop dementia or new cases per year — instead of prevalence, or the total number of people living with the condition at a given time.

The rapidly rising numbers are due to aging populations, with Sinvani noting that about 1 in 9 people have dementia after 65, “but after 85, it could be almost 1 in 3.”

Until there’s a treatment, we’ll need to invest heavily in android caretakers because there just won’t bet enough young people to go around.