Synopsis
Recent data reveals that nearly 10% of seniors in South Korea are living with Alzheimer's disease, with predictions of dementia cases exceeding one million in the coming year. This trend highlights the growing need for support measures for affected individuals and their families.Key Takeaways
- Almost 10% of elderly South Koreans suffer from Alzheimer's.
- Dementia cases are predicted to exceed 1 million by next year.
- The proportion of dementia cases has decreased since 2016.
- Support measures are being developed to assist affected families.
- Anxiety and depression levels among South Koreans have increased.
Seoul, March 12 (NationPress) Almost 1 in 10 elderly individuals in South Korea are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, with projections indicating that the total number of dementia patients will exceed 1 million by next year, according to data released on Wednesday.
As per the statistics gathered by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, there are currently 970,000 dementia patients as of 2025, representing 9.17% of the population aged 65 and above, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
This figure is expected to rise past 1 million next year and reach 2 million by 2044. The ministry noted a decrease in the percentage of dementia cases among older adults from 9.5% in 2016, attributing this change to enhanced education and health conditions among the elderly.
"The rate of dementia cases in older adults is projected to remain around 10% until 2045 and may increase to about 12% to 13% by 2059," stated a ministry official.
The ministry plans to develop support measures for dementia patients to ease the financial and caregiving burdens on their families. Additionally, a recent survey conducted by the Korea Institute of Public Administration revealed that anxiety and depression levels among South Koreans rose last year, as reported by Yonhap.
The survey showed that respondents rated their anxiety at 4.1 out of 10 last year, an increase from 3.4 in 2023, while feelings of depression also rose from 2.8 to 3.5 during the same period.
This survey involved 8,251 adults from August to September last year to assess social integration and public perception.
Conversely, the average public perception of happiness was rated at 6.8 points, reflecting a 0.1-point increase from the previous year.
Meanwhile, the lowest income group, earning less than 1 million won ($693) monthly, reported a 0.1-point decline in happiness to 6.0, while the highest income group, with earnings exceeding 6 million won monthly, saw their happiness rating rise from 6.8 to 7.0 last year.
