Tomorrow marks the end of World Alzheimer’s Month, a campaign to raise awareness and challenge the stigma surrounding dementia.
MP Lisa Raitt marked the occasion this month by making a member’s statement in the House of Commons. In her statement, she noted the 564,000 cases of Alzheimer’s disease in Canada, and the 25,000 newly diagnosed cases each year: one of which was her husband Bruce Wood in 2016 at the age of 56. Raitt stated that the diagnoses prese
nts significant challenges, but that “living with dementia can be okay”.
Alzheimer’s Disease International states that the stigmatization and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem, and that 2 out of 3 people globally believe that there is little or no understanding of dementia in their country.
Canada appears to be making progress in addressing some of the issues surrounding Alzheimer’s disease. In June, 2017, Bill C-233, the National Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Act, received Royal Assent. The Act requires the federal Minister of Health to develop a comprehensive national strategy to address all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Within 6 months, the Minister of Health must convene a conference with her provincial counterparts and other stakeholders for the purpose of developing the national strategy. The Minister is to report to Parliament within two years of the proclamation of the Act.
As another resource, the Alzheimer Society Canada website is an excellent tool for raising awareness and a better understanding of the disease, with detailed information about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and living with the disease.
Thank you for reading.