DEMENTIA often enters a family quietly. It may begin with a misplaced item, a repeated question, a forgotten name or a familiar route suddenly becoming unfamiliar.
At first, these changes are frequently dismissed as a normal part of ageing. Only later do families realise that what they are witnessing is not ordinary forgetfulness, but a condition that gradually affects memory, judgement, behaviour and independence.
As Malaysia’s population ages, this quiet arrival is becoming an increasingly important national concern.
Globally, the number of people living with dementia is projected to rise from 57.4 million in 2019 to more than 150 million by 2050. Malaysia is not exempt from this demographic reality.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey reported that 8.5% of older Malaysians were living with dementia in 2018.
Estimates by the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia suggest that between 204,000 and 264,000 Malaysians were affected in 2020, with numbers expected to increase substantially in the coming decades.
Yet dementia is not merely a medical issue. It is also a family, community and social issue. How society understands dementia will influence whether those living with the condition are met with patience or stigma, support or neglect.
Countries facing rapidly ageing populations have recognised that dementia care cannot depend solely on healthcare professionals.
Initiatives such as Japan’s Dementia Supporters programme and school-based awareness efforts in the United Kingdom demonstrate that dementia-friendly societies are built not only through healthcare systems, but also through education and community engagement.
A key lesson from these efforts is that education should begin before a crisis occurs. It is difficult to challenge misconceptions once they have become deeply ingrained.
In Malaysia, research on dementia has expanded considerably. However, much of the attention has focused on patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals and university students. One important group has received comparatively little attention: school-going adolescents.
At first glance, teenagers may seem far removed from discussions about dementia. In reality, they may be among the most important groups to engage. Today’s adolescents will become tomorrow’s adult children caring for ageing parents.
Some will become doctors, nurses, teachers, policymakers and community leaders. Even those outside healthcare professions will live and work in a society where dementia becomes increasingly common.
The attitudes they develop today will shape how they respond in the future. If young people grow up believing that dementia is simply a normal part of ageing or something shameful, those assumptions may persist into adulthood. Conversely, early education can help foster understanding, empathy and informed action.
To better understand dementia literacy among young Malaysians, our study surveyed 916 adolescents from 18 secondary schools across Seberang Perai, Penang.
The findings were both encouraging and concerning.
More than 70% of respondents had heard of dementia, while 86% correctly recognised that it affects the brain. Many students also understood that healthy lifestyle choices may help reduce dementia risk and were aware that there are different forms of dementia.
However, significant misconceptions remained.
Nearly 60% of respondents believed dementia is a normal part of ageing. This misunderstanding has important consequences.
When symptoms are viewed as an inevitable aspect of growing older, families may delay seeking professional advice, reducing opportunities for early diagnosis, planning and support.
Another concerning finding was that 61% of participants believed dementia could be transmitted from one person to another. Scientifically, this is incorrect. Dementia is not contagious and cannot spread through physical contact, proximity or shared meals.
Such misconceptions matter because they can contribute to fear, avoidance and social isolation. Over time, these attitudes may reinforce stigma towards individuals living with dementia and their families.
The study also found that many adolescents expressed discomfort or anxiety about interacting with someone who has dementia. While this may appear troubling, it does not necessarily reflect a lack of compassion. More likely, it reflects limited knowledge and exposure.
Encouragingly, more than 80 per cent of participants expressed interest in learning more about dementia. This suggests that young people are receptive to education and that their attitudes remain open to positive influence.
Schools therefore represent an important opportunity for intervention.
Dementia education could be incorporated into existing subjects such as Health Education and Moral Education. Community projects, intergenerational activities and school awareness programmes could also provide meaningful opportunities for learning and engagement.
The objective is not to turn students into healthcare professionals. Rather, it is to nurture a generation that can recognise dementia early, respond with empathy and support affected families without judgement.
Healthcare services will continue to play a critical role, and families will remain at the centre of caregiving. However, neither healthcare systems nor families can shoulder this responsibility alone. Broader public understanding is essential.
Malaysia’s future caregivers are already sitting in classrooms today. If we hope to build a dementia-friendly nation tomorrow, we must begin educating our young people today.
Dementia literacy should not begin only when the condition arrives at our doorstep. By then, valuable opportunities for understanding, preparation and support may already have been lost. ‒ June 19, 2026
The author is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community Health, Pusat Kanser Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image: Sonnet Hill
