Alzheimer’s New Zealand is warning the country is “dangerously unprepared” for the coming surge in dementia cases, expected to more than double to 170,000 by 2050.
Chief executive Catherine Hall said community-based rehabilitative services run by 17 organisations are “woefully underfunded and under-resourced,” despite keeping people out of “much more expensive” hospital and aged-care systems. She estimated more than 30,000 people living with dementia already need support. “Dementia is a national health emergency and New Zealand still has no funded, implemented plan to deal with it,” she said.
The group is calling for an extra $20m in Budget 2026, pointing out dementia funding has not increased since 2022, when $12m was allocated over four years for the Dementia Mate Wareware Initiative. Hall said the new funding would help deliver on goals in the government’s health plan, including improving community care and managing the rising prevalence of dementia.
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said the government has “extensive work underway” to ensure older New Zealanders can live and age well, from prevention and primary care through to specialist services. “Importantly, it needs to be based on early preventative care in communities, especially as most people want to age at home,” she said. Costello will attend Alzheimers NZ’s summit this week and promised more detail on the government’s approach “in the next few weeks.”
Centrist Ltd.