A rising tide of dementia in B.C.

Projected healthcare costs to reach $130.2 billion reveals new Alzheimer Society report.

January 4, 2010 – A report released by the Alzheimer Society today to mark Alzheimer Awareness month reveals alarming new statistics about the projected economic and social costs of dementia in Canada. Here in British Columbia, findings from the national study indicate that if nothing changes over the next 30 years, the prevalence of dementia in the province will more than double from 2008 figures (almost 70,000) to an estimated 177,684 British Columbians living with the disease. The associated economic burden is projected over the next 30 years to reach a cumulative total of over $130.2 billion.

“These findings are a reality check because the fact is that our baby boomer generation is aging and the incidence of dementia is increasing,” said Jean Blake, CEO for the Alzheimer Society of B.C. “The impact will be felt by everyone, not only the cost to the healthcare system but the economic and social costs to caregivers and families so we need to work together to turn the tide.”

The Rising Tide study is the final report of an Alzheimer Society initiative funded by Pfizer Canada, Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Rx&D.

Other findings from Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society and Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on British Columbia 2008 – 2038:

In 2038, if nothing changes,

  • 1,125,184 Canadians will be living with dementia, among them will be, 177,684 British Columbians
  • The projected number of new cases of dementia for those in British Columbia aged 65 years and older is expected to reach over 35,770 (2.4 times the 2008 estimate)
  • Approximately 61% of people with dementia in British Columbia will be female
  • Family members in B.C. will be providing an estimated 118.7 million hours per year of unpaid care
“Today, someone in Canada develops dementia every five minutes. In 30 years, there will be one new case every two minutes,” says David Harvey, Principal Spokesperson for the Rising Tide project.

Recognizing the urgent need to start turning the tide of dementia, the goal of the project was to establish an evidence-based foundation upon which policymakers can build a comprehensive national plan. In addition, the new report also outlines a series of potential scenarios that could help minimize the impact of the disease. These intervention scenarios include physical activity programs to reduce the numbers of new and prevalent cases of dementia, prevention programs to delay the onset of dementia, informal caregiver support programs and system navigation to reduce the numbers of dementia patents residing in long-term care facilities.

To view the national Alzheimer Society study: Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society or the Executive Summary  go to www.alzheimer.ca/english/rising_tide/rising_tide.htm.

Download a PDF of this Press Release (PDF - 49 KB)

Additional information

Visit the Alzheimer Society of Canada website to view the full Rising Tide report and additional documents.
  • Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society (Executive Summary)
  • In Pursuit of a Cure (Research Sheet)
  • Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias - Fact Sheet

For more information or to arrange an interview contact:
Ruby Ng
Director, Marketing & Communications
Telephone: 604-742-4919
Toll-free: 1-800-667-3742
E-mail: rng@alzheimerbc.org