Dementia reduces life expectancy by about 2 years for those diagnosed at age 85, 3 to 4 years for those diagnosed at 80, and up to 13 years with a diagnosis at 65, researchers reported in a study published Jan. 8 in The BMJ.

The average life expectancy figures from diagnosis varied from 2.2 years for men diagnosed in their mid-80s, to 8.9 years for women diagnosed around the age of 60. Such a broad range of outcomes could affect all kinds of decisions about life planning and future care.

Learn how long men and women tend to live after a dementia diagnosis and why the time of nursing home admission is a crucial detail for researchers.

About 10 million people worldwide receive a diagnosis of dementia every year, but survival estimates vary widely

Researchers examined all studies between 1984 and 2024 which reported on survival or nursing home admission for people with dementia

Average life expectancy for patients with dementia ranges from 8.9 years after diagnosis at a mean age of 60 years for women to 2.2 years at a mean age of 85 years for men, according to a study published online Jan.

A new study has revealed that dementia reduced life expectancy by about two years for people with a diagnosis at age 85, 3-4 years with a diagnosis at age 80, and up to 13 years with a diagnosis at age 65.