Dementia now causes one in ten Australian deaths, but expert warns men's early symptoms are routinely mistaken for stress, burnout or simply becoming grumpy
Don't Let the Old Man in
Key Facts:- Dementia caused 19,019 deaths in Australia in 2025, 10.1% of all registered deaths and the first time above 10% (ABS, 27 October 2026).
- Dementia has been Australia's leading cause of death since 2024; women account for 61% of dementia deaths.
- In men, early Alzheimer's often shows up as poor planning, judgement and irritability rather than memory loss.
- Midlife risk factors men can act on include blood pressure, hearing loss, alcohol and inactivity.
- Pod O'Sullivan and Dr Helena Popovic are available for interview.
SYDNEY, 30 October 2026. Early dementia in men is often mistaken for stress, burnout or a man simply "becoming a grumpy old man", says medical doctor and brain health author Dr Helena Popovic, speaking on the Don't Let The Old Man In podcast in the same week new data showed dementia now causes more than one in ten Australian deaths.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics' Causes of Death, Australia 2025, released on 27 October, recorded 19,019 dementia deaths, 10.1 per cent of all registered deaths and the first time the figure has passed 10 per cent. Most of the public conversation centres on women, who make up 61 per cent of dementia deaths. Dr Popovic says that focus leaves men's symptoms flying under the radar.
"Men often miss the early signs because they're less likely to experience memory loss as their first symptom," Dr Popovic said. "It looks more like he's stressed, he's tired, he's burnt out. And so it doesn't raise red flags."
She says Alzheimer's in men more often shows up first as trouble planning, solving problems and making sound judgements, along with irritability and social withdrawal. "If somebody's becoming a 'grumpy old man', I would start to test for other signs of dementia."
Podcast host Pod O'Sullivan, a leadership advisor who coaches senior executives, says that blind spot is sharpest for men leaving demanding careers, where a slide in executive function is easy to put down to retirement itself. "The first thing executives always say when they retire is, 'I really miss the cognitive load.' In their mind they're already missing it because they've left the work."
Dr Popovic is clear the numbers are a reason to act, not to despair. "Don't believe all the doom and gloom in the media about soaring numbers of dementia, because you can more than halve your lifetime risk of ever getting dementia, depending on how you live your life." Her priorities for men in midlife include checking blood pressure, getting hearing tested, cutting alcohol and taking up strength training.
Listen to the full episode: https://youtu.be/-U0d5KRBGxk
For information and support about dementia, contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.
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Don't Let the Old Man In is a weekly podcast for men in their 40s.
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