Between 2010 and 2050, the total number of older people with care needs, particularly those suffering from dementia, will nearly treble from 101 to 277 million across the world, a report has found.
Research from Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), commissioned by Bupa is calling for governments around the world to make dementia a priority by implementing national plans, and by initiating urgent national debates on future arrangements for long-term care.
The report revealed as the world population ages, the traditional system of "informal" care by family, friends, and community will require much greater support.
Globally, 13% of people aged 60 or over require long-term care. Between 2010 and 2050, the total number of older people with care needs will nearly treble from 101 to 277 million.
The report said long-term care is mainly about care for people with dementia; around half of all older people who need personal care have dementia, and 80% of older people in nursing homes are living with dementia.
The worldwide cost of dementia care is currently over US$600 billion (£395 billion), or around 1% of global GDP.
The report states that more attention needs to be paid to maintaining and enhancing quality of life; helping those affected, and their families to ‘live well with dementia'.
Ten-fold increases in research funding are needed to re-energise the work on dementia prevention, treatment and care. This investment is essential to mitigate the impact of the global dementia epidemic on future long-term care needs, and improve quality of care, the report advocated.
The report is also recommending for health and social care systems to be "better integrated and coordinated" to meet people's needs, greater monitoring of care home quality and value for the unpaid work of family caregivers for those having care at home.
Professor Martin Prince, from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry and author of the report, said: "People with dementia have special needs. Compared with other long-term care users they need more personal care, more hours of care, and more supervision, all of which is associated with greater strain on caregivers, and higher costs.
"Their needs for care start early in the disease course, and evolve constantly over time, requiring advanced planning, monitoring, and coordination. We need to value the unpaid contribution of family caregivers more, and reward paid caregivers better. We can build quality into our care systems, but to do so while containing costs and achieving equity of access for all will be a challenge."
Dr Paul Zollinger-Read, chief medical officer at Bupa, said: "An ageing population around the world means that improving dementia care and support is one of our generation's greatest healthcare challenges - a challenge we must tackle.
"We're calling on governments around the world to make dementia a national health priority by developing national dementia plans. National plans ensure that people living with dementia have a good quality of life and friends and family, who often take on the important role of a carer, are properly supported too."
