We are living through an age of remarkable longevity. Globally, the number of people aged 60 and over is projected to double in the next 25 years. But this longevity boom masks a critical problem: the growing gap between lifespan and healthspan—the years lived in good health.

A key contributor to the healthspan–lifespan gap is dementia. By 2050, more than 150 million people are projected to be living with dementia unless treatments are discovered. 

The recent approval by the Food and Drug Administration of blood tests for Alzheimer’s detection, along with a deeper understanding of modifiable risk factors and the arrival of disease-modifying therapies, offers new hope for addressing dementia care. However, if research and investment in this area do not increase—or worse, are not maintained at current levels—progress will stall, and the field risks significant setbacks.

This report identifies four key domains for continued strategic funding and research to address dementia at scale: 

1. global prevention
2. detection and diagnostics
3. targeted treatments
4. care and support

Investing urgently in a dementia-ready world requires a growing global recognition of the need for action.

Read the full report to explore recommendations and discover opportunities to center dementia care in longevity extension strategies.