January is Alzheimer Awareness Month

A rising tide of dementia is projected to cost Canadians $872 billion over the next 30 years. The Alzheimer Society says prevention, support and research could turn the tide.

A 2010 report from the Alzheimer Society released to mark Alzheimer Awareness Month revealed alarming new statistics about the projected economic and social costs of dementia in Canada. Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society says that if nothing changes, the prevalence of dementia will more than double in 30 years, with the costs increasing ten-fold.

"Today, someone in Canada develops dementia every five minutes. In 30 years, there will be one new case every two minutes," says David Harvey, Principal Spokesperson for the Rising Tide project. "If nothing changes, this sharp increase in the number of people living with dementia will mean that by 2038, the total costs associated with dementia will reach $153 billion a year. This amounts to a massive cumulative total of $872 billion over this 30-year period."

Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society also reports on dementia's pressure on families: the hours of care delivered by unpaid family members are expected to more than triple, increasing from 231 million hours in 2008, to 756 million hours by 2038.

Recognizing the urgent need to start turning the tide of dementia, the new report outlines a series of potential interventions that could help lessen the impact of the disease. Backed by current evidence, these interventions would address:

• The benefits of physical activity on reducing the risk of developing dementia
• The benefits of a combination of risk reduction strategies, or the development of new treatments, in delaying the onset of dementia
• The importance of supporting family caregivers, who are struggling with the overwhelming emotional and financial hardships of providing care, as well as easing further pressure on the health care system
• The importance of a "system navigator" to help families find the right services at the right time.

"Hope lies in making changes today that will lessen dementia's crippling effect on Canadian families, the health care system and the economy," says Richard Nakoneczny, Chair of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. "More than ever, research is a critical contributor to this change. With an increased investment in research, we will learn more about prevention, possibly even discover a treatment to delay the onset of the disease and reduce its impact substantially."

The Alzheimer Society is the leading, nationwide health organization for people affected by dementia in Canada. The Society is a principle funder of Alzheimer research and training; provides enhanced care and support to people with the disease, their families and their caregivers; and is a prominent voice within all levels of government.

Read on to learn how home care supports the health and well-being of family caregivers whose loved ones have Alzheimer's disease and other chronic health conditions.