Study Reveals Life Expectancy After Dementia Diagnosis Varies by Age and Type

New research involving over 5.5 million patients highlights survival rates, nursing home transitions, and key factors influencing outcomes.

Median survival after a dementia diagnosis ranges from 1.5 to 10 years, with age being the strongest predictor of lifespan.
Women diagnosed at age 60 have a median survival of 8.9 years, while men at the same age have 5.7 years; survival times decrease significantly with older age at diagnosis.
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease live an average of 1.4 years longer than those with other forms of dementia, and survival rates are higher in Asian populations compared to Europe and North America.
Approximately one-third of patients transition to nursing home care within three years of diagnosis, increasing to more than half by five years.
Living arrangements, earlier diagnosis, and access to specialty memory clinics are associated with longer survival, while higher education levels may correlate with shorter survival due to later-stage diagnoses.