Common misconceptions about Alzheimer's disease

January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month and the Alzheimer Society Sudbury-Manitoulin North Bay District wants to clear up some of the misconceptions about the diagnosis.

With the population of northern Ontario aging, experts say more people will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in greater numbers.

Stephanie Leclair, the society's executive director, said Alzheimer's disease is one form of dementia.

"So, it’s a little bit of a dementia umbrella term that’s used. A little bit like we use 'cancer,' but you don’t just have cancer, you have a different type of cancer. So it’s the same thing with dementia, Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia," Leclair said.

A study done by the Alzheimer Society of Canada said more than 600,000 Canadians are living with dementia and predicts that by the year 2050, that number will grow to nearly two million.

"All told, that translates into an estimated 6.3 million Canadians diagnosed, living with and eventually dying of dementia over the next 30 years," the study said.

"Women with dementia will continue to outnumber men diagnosed with this condition. It’s up to researchers to find out why."

Leclair said it’s important to break the stigmas that surround the diagnosis. 

"It’s not always about memory, we often see behavioral changes, mood changes in people, so I think those would be key to look out for," she said.

Leclair said research and development on dementia are finally in a place where it's leading to more treatment.

The key to those treatments is early diagnoses, she said and recommends speaking with your primary caregivers with any concerns.

Leclair said it’s important to know that resources are available.

"My partners in Algoma – Cochrane district are also serving programs and services and it’s important for people to know that we're there and that awareness this month is about first link, getting connected, so that our First Link program, we want to be that first call after diagnoses," she said.

The program connects people with health services, information and behavioural support through registered health-care professionals including nurses and social workers.

Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) is hosting a free online event for the public in both English and French on Jan. 25 called Finding Hope in Dementia.