Dementia is now the leading cause of death in Australia, and without intervention one million people could be living with the condition within a decade, a new report warns.

Experts from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare say dementia – a broad term for symptoms triggered by varying diseases that impact brain function – is having an enormous impact on families.

Without a significant intervention, the number of Australians living with dementia will exceed one million by 2065, the research found.

Dementia Australia chief executive Tanya Buchanan says relatives of people living with the condition are paying a huge price.

“These figures highlight just how many families are impacted by dementia across Australia. Most of us know someone who is or has been impacted by dementia,” she said.

“People affected by dementia often tell us that friends and family drift away after a diagnosis, because they are unsure of how to interact.”

The report, released ahead of Dementia Action Week, urges friends and relatives to reunite with patients.

“We are challenging Australians to reconnect with someone impacted by dementia to help combat the high levels of social isolation many experience,” said Buchanan.

The leading risk factors behind dementia in Australians are being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure in midlife, smoking and impaired kidney function, the research says.

Dementia Action Week runs from Monday, September 15 to Sunday, September 21.