Thread by @TheEconomist

Dementia affects more than 50m people globally, a number that is rising fast. The world is not ready to cope. Thread 👇(1/10) econ.trib.al/G1jWT84

Some 82m people will have dementia by 2030 and 152m by 2050. Set against the size of the world’s population, these numbers may seem manageable. That is illusory (2/10) econ.trib.al/fRCauqu

Humane care for people with dementia will require vast numbers of people and huge sums of money—the WHO estimates an annual global cost of $2trn by 2030 (3/10) econ.trib.al/fRCauqu

Some fear that the covid-19 crisis will squeeze the financial and scientific resources available for dementia research more tightly still. Even if a dementia drug is approved, the question is: who will pay for it? (4/10) econ.trib.al/7Huv6Qp

Financing dementia care is a question that continues to stump governments around the world. An estimated 87% of the costs arise in high-income ones, although around 60% of people with dementia live in low or middle-income countries (5/10) econ.trib.al/zSa5i5c

As the number of people with the condition rises, in most countries it will be hard to find enough carers (6/10) econ.trib.al/IeR7pWx

Those with dementia want to be cared for at home for as long as possible. Technology can help, but looking after dementia patients requires people. Undertaken with humanity and dignity, it is extremely labour-intensive (7/10) econ.trib.al/ruzo7Vq

For the best care, well-off Europeans with dementia in the family are looking abroad for higher standards of care at a much lower cost (8/10) econ.trib.al/XaYfJ87

But dealing with dementia raises agonising ethical dilemmas. By the time they reach a crisis point, dementia sufferers may have forgotten the medical decisions they made at earlier stages of their illness (9/10) econ.trib.al/6P9N0YS

What do you think is the best way to facilitate care for dementia patients in your country, and how do you think it should be funded? Let us know below (10/10)