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Ontario MP Claude Gravelle introduced new legislation last week for a national dementia strategy that supports Canadians living with dementia. Gravelle has first-hand experience with dementia, and understands the impact of dementia on people living with the disease, their loved ones and caregivers.
“The Alzheimer Society of B.C. applauds Mr. Claude Gravelle for introducing the private member’s bill for a national dementia strategy,” says Barbara Lindsay, Senior Manager of Advocacy and Public Policy at the Alzheimer Society of B.C. “We urgently need a national strategy to ensure we are able to deal with the enormous impact of dementia on Canadians.”
The objectives of the bill are to create a comprehensive national plan to address all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, with specific intent to decrease the social burden of dementia through long-term and community care options. The strategy will also implement measures to accelerate the discovery and development of treatments to prevent, halt or reverse the course of dementia.
The number of Canadians with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is expected to reach 1.1 million in 25 years and the economic costs will increase tenfold over the same time period, from $15 billion a year to $153 billion per year.
In British Columbia, more than 70,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. If nothing is done that figure is expected to more than double to 177,000 British Columbians living with the disease.
