We are asking the Manitoba government to create a plan to respond to the dementia crisis.
Currently, almost 20,000 Manitobans have Alzheimer's disease of another form of dementia. Our population is aging and this number is growing at an alarming rate. If nothing changes, more than 34,000 Manitobans will have dementia by the year 2038.
The total economic burden of dementia in Manitoba is 885 million dollars and this number is expected to rise to 4.4 billion by the year 2038.
Today, caregivers spend over 9 million hours of informal unpaid care. By the year 2038, the hours of informal unpaid care are expected to exceed 22 million.
This year alone, there were over 4,300 new cases of dementia in Manitoban. In 2038, the number of new cases of dementia in Manitoba is expected to be over 9,350.
Because Alzheimer’s disease is everybody’s business.
Alzheimer’s disease is not an illness we can ignore. It has an overwhelming impact on the people who develop it, and the families who care for them. In 2010 the Alzheimer Society released Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society. The study alerted the Canadian public and federal, provincial and territorial politicians of the need for policies and approaches to address the looming dementia crisis. The report concluded with five recommendations to government, developed through comprehensive consultations with subject experts and stakeholders. The underlying message is that we must act now and that change is possible. The five recommendations, which make up a national call to action, are- An accelerated investment in all areas of dementia research
- A clear recognition of the important role played by family caregivers
- An increased recognition of the importance of prevention and early intervention
- Greater integration of care and increased use of chronic disease prevention and management
- A strengthening of Canada’s dementia workforce