Reducing the risk of dementia
The Public Health Agency of Canada says there are actions Canadians can take to reduce the risk of dementia.
The 2020 report from the Lancet Commission estimates that there are 12 modifiable risk factors that account for 40 per cent of cases of dementia worldwide.
"We're somewhere around half a million people that have been diagnosed and are living with Alzheimer's or dementia," said science writer and broadcaster Jay Ingram.
“Those numbers are going to rise, though, with the baby boomers getting older and more susceptible at 65 and 70 years old.”
Ingram has signed on as a spokesperson for the health agency for a second straight year. He's studied the issue and said it's something people need to take seriously.
"The vast majority of all dementias -- and there are several -- is Alzheimer's,” he said.
“Alzheimer's is about 70 to 75 per cent of the total but there are others and clearly that's an important issue going forward because at the moment there are no treatments for any of them.”
At one point, the disease could only be diagnosed post-mortem, but Ingram said advances in science are being made.
While there is no cure for dementia, he said there are risk factors people can focus on to mitigate some of the issues they might face or the symptoms.
Ingram said he would focus on “common-sense” steps that anyone can take.
"Don't smoke -- smoking is a specific risk for dementia,” he said.
“There has been some new stuff about alcohol, basically I think until the numbers actually settle, don't drink too much and figure out a way that if you're drinking more than two drinks a day, figure out a way of alternating a beer with a non-alcoholic beer. Stay fit -- super important -- and as you get older, maintain social contacts."
Ingram said hearing loss is one of the biggest risks and hearing aids help to counteract social isolation.
"The more you stimulate your brain, the better," he said.
Even if reducing the risk only delays the onset of dementia, Ingram said adding five or 10 years helps with quality of life and eases the burden on the health care system.
"It's an incredibly stressful job and if we can lighten the load on caregivers by doing this, there are benefits across the board," he said.
No one is seeing the prevalent rise in dementia more these days in Northeastern Ontario than the Alzheimer's Society.
A 44-PER-CENT INCREASE
The Sault Ste. Marie/Algoma chapter reports a 44 per cent increase in the number of referrals since moving to its new location in 2021.
"The pandemic has had a wide effect on people living with dementia, for reasons such as social isolation for example, depression, not having access to services like adult day programs for example,” said spokesperson Terry Caporossi.
“And it's really our role to make sure we're providing those services as that continuum of care."
Caporossi said they're seeing people who are worried about their cognitive health. He echoes Ingram's message on staying socially active, getting a good night's sleep and maintaining a healthy diet to mitigate some risks.
"I think having an opportunity to participate in supports and services through the Alzheimer's Society … we all offer a variety of services that can help those living with dementia and their caregivers," he said.
"The easiest thing and sometimes the hardest thing is sometimes making that initial phone call. Here in Sault Ste. Marie, we take people who walk in and inquire about those services."
January is Alzheimer's month but he said they work to try and promote their services year-round.
"We have to be able to meet those needs, additional funding for example to support the services that we offer right across our country and it's going to be important to keep up with demands," he said.
"We have to be prepared for this (the influx), it'll certainly cost the health care system a great amount of money if we're not prepared. I think that the awareness is a very important part of us being able to support education, training for persons living with dementia and their care partners."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.