ABSTRACT
Because the global population is aging, the number of people with dementia is steadily increasing. People with dementia have higher mortality rates and shorter survival times. According to the World Alzheimer Report 2015 (Alzheimer’s Disease International – ADI 2015), there were 46.8 million people with diagnosed dementia in 2015. This number is estimated to reach 74.7 million by 2030 and 131.5 million by 2050 (ADI 2015). Also, the average prevalence of dementia in adults aged over 60 is 4.7% in Asia, 5.9% in Europe, 6.4% in America, and 4.6% in Africa. Dementia shortens the lives of patients. Although the independent contribution of dementia to mortality is difficult to assess, people with dementia often have comorbid health conditions and diseases related to dementia. In Taiwan, the prevalence of dementia in people aged 65 or over was 4.97% in 2013 (Taiwan ADI 2013). As shown in Table 9.1, the proportionate increases in Taiwan will be 84% between 2015 and 2030, and 240% between 2015 and 2050. Thus, the number of elderly people with dementia is increasing rapidly in Taiwan and will soon present serious challenges to the medical and long-term care sectors. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to be the transitional phase between normal cognitive function and dementia, and is sometimes considered early-stage dementia. According to clinical researchers, 10%–15% of people with MCI will further degrade into dementia every year. This proportion is ten times higher than that of the population in the same age cohort without MCI. They are considered as a high-risk group for dementia (Chen et al. 2006; Petersen 2011).
