What are the 10 warning signs of dementia?

Explainer - The number of people living with dementia in Aotearoa is expected to more than double by 2050.

Health advocates say it's important for whānau and the wider community to know the signs of dementia - mate wareware in te reo Māori.

"The early signs and symptoms of dementia mate wareware can be subtle and hard to recognise and people often think that what is happening is normal ageing," Alzheimers NZ chief executive Catherine Hall says.

A recent study by the University of Auckland commissioned by Alzheimers NZ found one in four Kiwis will die with dementia and nearly 170,000 New Zealanders will live with dementia by 2050.

Annual costs of dealing with it could top $10 billion while rates were predicted to climb fastest among Māori, Pacific and Asian communities.

"Dementia is a national health emergency, and New Zealand still has no funded, implemented plan to deal with it," Hall says.

The group of Alzheimers NZ, Dementia NZ, NZ Dementia Foundation and Te Mate Wareware Advisory Rōpū recently presented the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan 2026-2031 at a summit on 24 September.

The plan puts forward a road map for the government and health services to prepare for the challenges.

"Decisive action is needed, and government must step up with funding and policies to support Kiwis living with dementia," Hall says.

"The time to prepare is long overdue ... but, better late than never!"

Associate health minister Casey Costello says the overall health picture was an important part of tackling dementia issues.

"Increasingly, we know that exercise and nutrition, some vaccines, and focusing on brain health mitigate against dementia, so the way to improve older peoples' health and wellness is exactly the same as for other life stages - having people focus on the changes they can make for themselves as well as providing the information and the community-based preventative services that can make a difference.

"For older people that ranges from practical things like meal services and community and social activities through to falls and dementia prevention."

"Our best advice to anyone worried about whether they or someone close to them might have dementia is to see their family doctor, GP or primary healthcare provider," Hall says.

"This is important because there are other conditions, such as stroke, depression and infections, that can cause dementia-like symptoms. It's important not to assume any changes are due to dementia. If the symptoms are caused by a treatable condition, they can be diagnosed and treated."

Doctors may run tests including physical exams and laboratory tests, cognitive testing and brain imaging. They'll also discuss medical history and perhaps make a mental health assessment and talk to family with the patient's permission.

"We know that that's not always an easy thing to do but it is important to know that there is a lot that can be done to support people with dementia and their family and getting a diagnosis helps with getting those services," Hall says.

If people don’t have immediate family or enough support, there are multiple local dementia aid organisations which Alzheimers NZ lists here.

Alzheimers NZ includes a list of these possible symptoms among their resources.

None of these by themselves are any firm indication of dementia, and infrequent occurrences of them are normal for most people, but it's the broader pattern that might mean it's time to consult a professional for an assessment.

"Dementia is not part of the normal ageing process, it is a combination of different diseases," Ngaire Kerse, co-director of the University of Auckland's Centre for CoCreated Ageing Research, told RNZ recently.

"Alzheimer's and strokes are the most common causes, followed by less common types such as Lewy body dementia."

We're "not at all" prepared, Hall says.

"The ageing population has been known about for many years as had the fact that the numbers of people with dementia are increasing rapidly. So there has been plenty of time for the health service to get ready for this rapidly growing challenge."

The "refreshed" Action Plan - presented to Costello at the Alzheimers NZ summit - sets out five priority areas to tackle in the next five years:

Costello says she supported the plan's goals.

"I haven't yet had the chance to consider the detailed recommendations in the plan, but I can say I absolutely support its objectives - we want, as much as possible, to prevent dementia and its impacts on people.

"When I spoke at the Alzheimer's summit last week and received the plan, I said that we need to rethink ageing and health and that a health system for ageing well should be built on prevention.

"That seems exactly in line with what works to limit the prevalence and impact of dementia, and what the action plan calls for."