When Pam Eade started relying on her husband to finish her sentences she chalked it up to the familiarity that comes with 40 years together.
She wasn't worried until a friend pulled her aside to express concern.
Many doctors appointments later, she received the shock diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia, a rare form of dementia affecting language.
"It was quite scary, to be honest," Ms Eade told AAP.
She was surprised to discover while there's no cure, there are ways to slow progression of the disease.
"I didn't realise the importance of sleep," she said.
"I was a voracious reader that could read all night and still function the next day.
"In my opinion, I did myself a great disservice of not looking after my brain in that one way".
She knows an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis is in her future so for now is focused on living her life to the fullest and doing whatever she can to help others avoid the same fate.
An estimated 433,300 Australians live with dementia in 2025 and that's set to almost double to 812,500 in 30 years unless urgent action is taken, according to research commissioned by Dementia Australia released on Thursday.
Rates of younger onset dementia are also expected to jump by 12,000 up to 41,000 people.
"Dementia is not a normal or inevitable part of ageing," the peak body's chief executive Tanya Buchanan said.
"This is a chronic, progressive disease, it's a condition and it's ultimately fatal.
"What we're seeing is people who are going to die from a condition that, in many instances, we could have prevented or delayed".
While there are non-modifiable risks like genetics and ageing, not enough people know lifestyle factors can also impact the likelihood of the disease.
These include smoking, obesity, isolation, high blood pressure, vision or hearing loss, lower education during childhood and physical inactivity, according to landmark research published in the respected Lancet journal in 2024.
"Stay physically active, eat healthy, maintain a good weight and not over consume alcohol," Professor Buchanan said.
Australia's national dementia action plan is being rolled out and the peak body is now pushing for a conversation about brain health, in addition to more funding for services including targeted help for people in regional and First Nations communities.
She said some patients feel stigmatised or excluded to an extent it can impact their whole lives, including access to medical support.
"They frequently are subject to social isolation, so friends and community members stop participating and engaging with people being diagnosed with dementia," Prof Buchanan said.
Ms Eade said the condition remains a taboo subject and she's worried it's holding people back from reaching out for a diagnosis or stopping them getting help, as many people can stay active members of society for some time.
"A diagnosis of dementia does not mean the end, it's not a reason to give up," she said.
"It is a reason to actually fight, to educate yourself, to learn what you can do to help yourself."
