The number of Alzheimer’s disease patients seeking help in the last 18-months from Alzheimer’s societies has jumped 76 percent. This dramatic increase in Alzheimer’s patients means 2,339 more clients for the various Alzheimer’s societies across the country.
It is estimated that these dramatically rising numbers will mean that 1.125 million people or 2.8 percent of Canadians will suffer from a form of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease by 2038. According to The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society the impacts of this disease will cost approximately $872 billion in care and result in a tenfold increase in the demand for nursing beds.
According to Mark Burnett of the Hamilton-Halton, Brantford and Haldimand-Norfolk Alzheimer’s societies, they are receiving 150 new referrals of Alzheimer’s disease patients a month. Burnett attributes this rise to Alzheimer’s awareness campaigns aimed at earlier identification and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
These latest number provided in the report by the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada highlights research on ways to reduce the risk associated with developing dementia and to enhance quality of life after diagnosis with dementia and Alzheimer’s. To help reduce the impact of dementia, the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada recommends taking steps including:
- Prevention programs that promote healthy diets and physical activity that can delay the onset of dementia by two years;
- Skill-building and support programs for family and caregivers responsible for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease patients;
- Assigning case managers to newly diagnosed dementia and Alzheimer’s patients which would facilitate in-home care longer, thus lessening strain on the long-term care system
With no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, the society wants to see increased funding to deal with the projected increase in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients to help address proejcted shortages in the system.
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