Health

Dementia Will Become an Epidemic in Canada

by Terri Potratz | January 6, 2009 at 03:48 pm

554 views | 21 Recommendations | 5 comments

Dementia could soon become an epidemic in Canada, the national Alzheimer Society warns. The recent findings of the Canadian Study on Health and Aging have found that within a decade, the number of Canadians living with dementia will rise considerably.

About half a million Canadians - 119,700 of them Quebecers - are affected. But based on a new study made public yesterday, the association predicts that within 25 years, the number of cases of Alzheimer's or a related dementia will more than double, ranging between one million and 1.3 million people.

Researchers stress that the findings, presented in a report called Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society, should be a clear signal that more effective treatment and preparation is needed in order to avoid a meltdown within the Canadian health care system.

Dementia causes cognitive impairment, resulting in the loss of memory, attention and reason.

Higher mental functions are affected first in the process. Especially in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time (not knowing what day of the week, day of the month, month, or even what year it is), in place (not knowing where they are), and in person (not knowing who they are or others around them). Symptoms of dementia can be classified as either reversible or irreversible, depending upon the etiology of the disease. Less than 10 percent of cases of dementia are due to causes which may presently be reversed with treatment.

Research suggests Alzheimer's begins about 20 years before symptoms appear, Chertkow said. But despite better awareness and detection tools, there's still a gap between the number of people who are affected by dementia and the number that show up at clinics for evaluation and treatment, he said.
"Some people think it's normal for Grandpa to become senile and lose his memory. So why take a person like that to the doctor?"

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Humayunn N A Peerzaada

at 18:33 on January 6th, 2009

Humayunn N A Peerzaada has contributed a photo to this story.

Uwe Paschen

at 21:41 on January 6th, 2009

I did have to read it twice. It is serious and alarming, I not sure though if a higher percentage of older people or more people getting older is the main cause, some statistics do indicate and increase with in the population over all even at a younger age, indicating that other causes are at play here as well, such as pollution and social factors maybe even died.

Terri Potratz

at 10:36 on January 7th, 2009

I think the possible causes are of secondary importance - I think examining how prepared we are to handle this situation is the main concern.

Humayunn N A Peerzaada

at 09:23 on January 7th, 2009

Hello Karen/Terri

I really appreciate this article of yours.

This desease is so rampant but very few have heard or even know as to what Dementia is all about.

There are many like me whose mother or dear and near ones might be suffering from this desease.

Its kind of a very tricky situation to be in, handling the patients many mood swings.

I empathize with both the patient and the one looking after them.

I, pray to God to give strength to the relatives of the patient to have more faith and more courage so that they double the love and support to their loved ones who suffers with this ailment. Amen

Lots of regards

Humayunn