A recent report estimates that more than one million Canadians will have dementia by 2030. Dr. Joshua Armstrong, a researcher at the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, told The Rob Snow Show on Sept. 7 that this sharp increase is due to the aging of the baby boomer population. As more Canadians are diagnosed with cognitive illness – by 2030, an estimated 21 people will be diagnosed with dementia every hour – there will be a growing need for care, including better education on how to interact with someone with dementia. He explained that dementia is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that affect cognitive function and is often associated with aging. Alzheimer’s dementia is the most common, but as people age, there’s usually more than one neurological challenge, leading to what Armstrong calls “mixed dementia.” The type of care depends on the person, he explained, with some needing around-the-clock assistance and others being able to function independently. “But as dementia gets worse, they will need more and more support,” Armstrong said, adding that the challenge is not knowing how quickly the decline will occur. “Some people, dementia gets worse at a faster rate or sometimes lasts for over a decade,” he said. Armstrong said most people with dementia prefer to live at home until the dementia is advanced and more care is needed. “When they stay at home, they rely on their family, friends and neighbors for care and support,” she said. “So as we have an increasing number of people living with dementia, we will have an increasing number of care partners who will also need their own support in order to cope with the challenges of providing care.” Listen to the full interview with Dr. Joshua Armstrong below:
