Dementia in Luxembourg: rising incidence and the cautious success of digital prevention
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The number of people living with dementia in Luxembourg is steadily increasing. The organisation Alzheimer Europe estimates that in 2018 there were around 7,539 such patients in the country. By 2050, an almost threefold increase to 19,284, or about 4 per cent of the population, is predicted. These figures reflect the consequences of a rapidly ageing population and raise the issue of sustainability for the healthcare system.
Since 2015, the country has had a public dementia prevention programme (Programme Démence Prévention, PDP), which was fully updated in 2018. Since then, 754 people have participated in it, having undergone a minimum of three specialised appointments: cognitive testing, risk factor identification and a personalised prevention programme.
The average age of participants is 68.4 years, and the most active are residents aged 70-79 years (290 participants), followed by groups of 60-69 years (189) and 50-59 years (116). Young people are almost not covered: there are only 6 people in the group of 18-39 years old.
In October 2024, the Ministry of Health launched the pdp Braincoach mobile app, available in three languages and also in a web version. It allows for a rapid cognitive health assessment and lifestyle advice. To date, 3,833 people have downloaded it, but only 47 per cent of users (1,798) continued active use after the first assessment.
According to the ministry, continuous communication is needed to increase engagement: additional presentations for therapists and information campaigns are planned.
