Canada unprepared for rising rates of Dementia two reports

A report from CanAge asks the following questions:

Why does Canada, one of the wealthiest, most stable countries in the world, with universal healthcare and a social safety net, fail so profoundly in dementia care? We have a National Dementia Strategy. But where are we in our progress toward implementing that strategy?

They go on and say:

At CanAge, we wanted to get answers. We wanted to find out where Canada is on the path to making this country dementia inclusive. We wanted answers for the individuals, caregivers and social service sector workers who are increasingly raising their voices in desperation.

This report, the first of its kind in Canada, benchmarks the progress made in each province and territory to prepare for the rapidly growing rate of dementia the data show is looming on the horizon. It also looks at our National Dementia Strategy, and the role the federal government has to play in stewarding, and funding, a collaborative approach to this important work across the country.

Canada is falling behind in the global race to deal with the increasingly complex needs of a rapidly aging population–the latest census data shows people 85 and older are now one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country (861,395 people in 2021). 7,021,430 Canadians are over 65. Given that the risk of dementia doubles at age 85 (to 25%), the window of opportunity to get ahead of an inevitable healthcare crisis is growing alarmingly slim.

CanAge’s new report, Dementia in Canada: Cross Country Report 2022, benchmarks each province and territory’s progress toward providing care for Canadians living with dementia. Key findings in the report include:

1. By 2050, 1 in 6 persons globally will be over the age of 65 But in Canada, we’re already at 1 in 6 in most provinces, and in some provinces, the numbers were closer to one in four.

2. In 2020 in Canada there were: 6,491,030 children, 17 or younger, and there were 2,300 paediatricians, or 1 paediatrician for every 2,822 children. In that same year, there were 6,835,866 seniors, 65+, and only 327 geriatricians, or 1 geriatrician for every 20,905 seniors - an almost 10-fold difference!

3. Many provinces do not have a clear dementia strategy, action plans, or care pathways for those living with dementia. “There’s a common misconception that dementia is an “old people problem”, but that’s actually not true,” notes Tamblyn Watts. “Dementia is not a part of aging. In fact, 3% of dementia cases occur in someone younger than 65. The truth is that the dementia boom is coming whether we’re ready or not. And, judging by the current state, we’re simply not ready.” The full report is available for download on the CanAge website.