The number of dementia patients is expected to rise dramatically over the next decades. The World Alzheimer Report 2015, which was presented in London, expects the number to triple by the year 2050. This year alone, scientists predict 10 million new cases of the disease.

There are currently about 47 million registered cases of dementia, half of which have also been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, the report states, this number will have climbed to 132 million.

The reason for this dire prognosis is the increasing number of older people. According to the report, there are currently around 900 million individuals aged 60 or above. In the next 35 years, this number will increase by 65 per cent in wealthy countries, by 185 per cent in low or middle income countries, and by 239 percent in poor countries.

Dementia cases put a significant financial strain on healthcare. According to the parent organization Alzheimer’s Disease International, treatment costs in 2015 are expected to exceed 700 bn euros, making for an increase of 35 per cent over the past five years.