The State of Dementia in Canada

In June 2017, the National Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Act was passed in Canada. Part of the Act included the development of Canada’s first national dementia strategy by the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

The strategy advocates for all Canadians living with dementia, their families, and their caregivers to have the same level of access to quality care and services, regardless of where they live. It also identifies common principles and national objectives to help guide actions by all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, communities, families, and individuals.

The three key objectives within Canada’s National Dementia Strategy include:

1. Dementia prevention;
2. Advancing therapies and finding a cure;
3. Improving the quality of life of people living with dementia and caregivers.

Public Health Agency of Canada’s 2022 Annual Report

In the Public Health Agency of Canada’s 2022 Annual Report, A Dementia Strategy for Canada – Together We Achieve, it suggests that there are a growing number of dementia-related initiatives across Canada that support progress on the strategy’s national objectives, including culturally appropriate and safe resources for Canada’s diverse populations. The report also highlights current dementia data and demographics, opportunities for prevention, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below, we highlight some of the major points from the 2022 Annual Report regarding research, risk reduction, and projects that are occurring across the country, including right here in Saskatchewan.

Research 

In the report, the Public Health Agency of Canada details how current, evidence-based information about therapies and treatments can be difficult for people living with dementia, caregivers, and other dementia care providers to find. Additionally, more resources around best practices in treatment and disease management are needed for health care providers. The Public Health Agency of Canada describes a number of other gaps in terms of “dementia guidance,” including:

• Non-pharmacological management strategies;
• Input and coordination for people living with dementia and caregivers in care-related decisions;
• Insomnia and sleep disorder management strategies when one or more comorbidities are present;
• Assessment tools and considerations to evaluate a patient’s response to treatment and management;
• Holistic and individual care plans for advanced care planning;
• Swallowing and feeding assessments;
• Medication and symptom management during palliative or end of life care; and,
• Risk mitigation strategies to avoid common risks.

In terms of medical advancements, the report also notes the importance in investing in research and innovation. In the 2022 Budget, the Government announced a new $20 million investment for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to increase efforts to learn more about dementia and brain health, improve treatment and outcomes for persons living with dementia, and evaluate and address mental health consequences for caregivers and different models of care. Canada is continuing to contribute to global progress on building a research base in dementia, as well as innovations that allow research results to support concrete outcomes.

At the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, we are a part of the Alzheimer Society of Canada’s Alzheimer Society Research Program, one of Canada's most innovative hubs for dementia research and funding. One of the recent studies we supported through the Alzheimer Society Research Program is the CAregiver REported and weighted Dementia outcome measure (CARED) that was created by McMaster University and caregivers of people living with dementia. The CARED study is described on page 42 of A Dementia Strategy for Canada – Together We Achieve.

Stigma & Prevention

“Addressing misconceptions about dementia is an important step in reducing stigma, which can contribute to social isolation for people living with dementia and can lead to poorer health outcomes. Through initiatives such as the national dementia awareness campaign, we can create more supportive communities where people living with dementia are actively engaged and feel valued and respected as individuals.”

- Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s strategy includes a commitment to raise awareness and reduce stigma of dementia across Canada. The report discusses risk factors identified by health professionals and research to prioritize for dementia prevention.

The major risk factors the Public Health Agency of Canada notes are:

• Social isolation
  • People older than 65 who experience social isolation are about 60% more likely to develop dementia.
• Physical inactivity
  • People older than 65 who are physically inactive are about 40% more likely to develop dementia than those who are not.
• Depression
  • People older than 65 who experience depression are 90% more likely to develop dementia compared to those who do not.

Public opinion research undertaken by the Public Health Agency of Canada, provides greater insight into the views and actions of Canadians related to dementia risk reduction. These results suggest that over half of Canadians (52%) would rate their personal risk of developing dementia as moderate to high.

On page 28 of their 2022 Annual Report, the Public Health Agency of Canada discusses the difference between genetic inheritance and genetic factors and how each can influence the development of dementia.

Alcohol consumption has previously been on the hot list of risk factors, but the 2022 Annual Report suggests that it has been an improving issue. However, it is still recommended to limit consumption to decrease the adverse impacts it has on the brain. We do want to note that having other health disparities, such as obesity, diabetes, and hearing loss, are important to manage with your healthcare providers as research shows they can be related to an increased risk of developing dementia.

Some areas of high concern, specifically for community health in Saskatchewan, include: the prevalence of hypertension, obesity, smoking, and strokes.

For more information on the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan’s public awareness initiatives, please see: Community Changes Everything | Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan

COVID-19 & Brain Health

In their 2022 Annual Report, the Public Health Agency of Canada examines what is currently being done to find the link between COVID-19 infection and potential consequences on brain health. Research has found elevated brain degeneration in COVID-19 patients, changes to brain structure, brain inflammation, and impaired brain function in some cases similar to those with Alzheimer’s disease. Common symptoms between the two include experiencing delirium, loss of memory, difficulty concentrating, and a reduction in brain size.  

Research suggests that one in three of those who contract COVID-19 (particularly severe COVID-19) will eventually be diagnosed with a psychiatric or neurological condition.

Community Investment 

The Public Health Agency of Canada funds and supports awareness-raising projects across the country, along with community-based initiatives designed to improve the well-being of people living with dementia and their care partners. Many of these projects and initiatives are detailed on pages 13 through 17 in the report. The results of these initiatives are expected to be accessible to all Canadians at a later date, including those in Saskatchewan.

Our team at the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan has been participating in the Dementia-Friendly Canada project, which is funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Dementia Community Investment fund.

The project has three goals:

1. To train Canada’s workforce to be dementia friendly;
2. Promote and educate the general public about dementia through awareness campaigns and resources;
3. Achieve sustainability and ensure growth of the Dementia-Friendly Canada initiative across the country.

The project has created a series of online courses that provide a foundational knowledge of dementia and outline the considerations that organizations can include in their social and physical environments in order to better support and include people living.

For more information on the Dementia-Friendly Canada project, please email: friends@alzheimer.sk.ca