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Younger-Onset Dementia – What and Why?
Although there is a common perception that
dementia is related to ageing, this is not always the
case. Younger Onset Dementia is defined as
dementia diagnosed before age 65. It can be
diagnosed very early in someone’s 50’s, 40’s or even
as early as 30’s. Often a very young diagnosis can
have a genetic link [5].
Latest figures show that 25, 100 people in Australia
are living with a diagnosis of Younger Onset
Dementia, or 8% of all people with dementia in
Australia. This is projected to reach 36,800 people by
2050 [6].
People with Younger Onset Dementia often have a
delayed diagnosis and are more frequently mis-
diagnosed than older people. Sudden onset
confusion in older adults is frequently caused by
delirium rather than dementia; dementia being more
progressive than sudden.
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