Dementia in Canada: Awareness, Risks and Reality: Part 1

Dementia significantly impacts the lives of many Canadians, particularly for older adults and their caregivers. Canadians of all ages need to be knowledgeable about dementia, have access to information and support to lower their risk and acknowledge their role in combating stigma surrounding dementia.

In this episode we are joined with 3 esteemed guests;  Dr. Samir Sinha, Dr. Jane Rylett and Claire Webster, share their wealth of knowledge in research, policy and practice to help us better understand Dementia in Canada.

We had such a comprehensive and informative discussion with our guests that we've decided to release this podcast as a two-part episode.

In part 1, you will learn some alarming facts about Dementia, including;

approximately half a million older adults in Canada were living with a diagnosis of dementia in 2023/24, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, and

the Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates this number could approach 772,000 in 2025 and by 2050 could reach to possibly 1.7 million Canadians with nearly 1 million care partners needed to support them.  But we can be proactive in changing these projections by becoming more knowledgeable of the modifiable risk factors that are associated with delaying or preventing dementia. All of us can play a role in challenging the associated stigma, stereotypes and discrimination associated with the disease that often inhibit people from seeking a diagnosis, medical care and support services.

Be sure to listen to Episode 19 for PART 2 of our Dementia and Canada conversation.

Until next time - Stay Vibrant!

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Episode Resources :

Websites:

National Institute on Ageing