Canadian Government Launches National Plan to Tackle Dementia

17 June 2019 – The government of Canada today adopted a national plan on dementia. The plan is the 32nd to be adopted worldwide, and includes key targets for improving awareness, access to care, support and treatment, research and risk reduction of dementia by 2025.

It is estimated that over half a million people are living with dementia in Canada, resulting in a combined health-care system and out-of-pocket caregiver cost of over $10 billion every year. These economic and social costs are set to drastically increase, as the number of people living with dementia is expected to increase by 66 per cent by 2031, to 937,000 people. The plan, titled 'A Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire’ follows a rigorous multi-stakeholder consultation process including the Alzheimer Society of Canada and people living with dementia. Crucially, the plan includes a budget of $3 million in fiscal year 2019 and $12 million in each of the following four years...