Dementia to affect 1 million Canadians by 2038

By the year 2038, the Alzheimer Society of Canada has predicted that close to 1.13 million Canadians will suffer from dementia. That’s one big reason to push awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Ryan Jershy, franchise owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Tecumseh, believes people need to learn more about Alzheimer’s and how to interact with those who have it.

To help with the pledge, Home Instead launched two free living training webinars on alzlearn.ca in recognition of Alzheimer’s Learning Day on Tuesday. The webinar featured experts in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. The website also has an education section covering signs and symptoms, care giving and a live chat with other caregivers.

“This program is about educating people,” Jershy said. “We see everyday that people just don’t recognize the signs early.

“The truth is the population is aging and Alzheimer’s and dementia are going to touch more and more people,” he added.

According to Statistics Canada, estimates of the prevalence of dementia in Canada vary. A 2012 study commissioned by the Alzheimer Society of Canada reported 747,000 Canadians were living with cognitive impairment, which included, but was not limited to, dementia.

As the number of individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia grows, so, too, will the need for communities to adapt to those living with dementia-related disorders.

“Recognizing the signs early really is important,” Jershy said.

“Sometimes it really is simple things like someone starts to wander, the confusion or mom asking repeatedly what’s for dinner.”

Jershy said sometimes people can exhibit signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s for years before diagnosis. He said it’s often overlooked because people will just assume the person is getting old or forgetful. The disease affects different parts of the brain, so often someone can’t remember what they had for dinner, but they can remember what they did 70 years ago.

“It’s just a common misconception because they don’t want to believe they have a disease,” he said. “You can see signs of short-term memory loss early on and it’s not uncommon to see it in 40- and 50year-olds.”

Jeshy said he’s seen families struggle trying to understand a loved one’s state of mind. He said one patient was convinced someone was breaking into their apartment every night and turning on the stove because every morning she woke up it was on.

“It’s challenging to find information and understand what is happening,” he said. “And then it’s difficult to try to convince the patient they are sick and need help. You have to be in their state of mind. You have to march in their parade to fully understand.”