Over 500,000 Canadians are currently living with some form of dementia. This number is expected to almost double by 2030. 65% of those over the age of 65 diagnosed with dementia are women. The cost of care for individuals with dementia is a staggering 12 billion per year. There is a huge amount of stigma tied to this disease, and it is currently one of the least funded major diseases.
My Father Elliot was diagnosed with dementia (and later Alzheimer's) only a few years prior to his death. It was frightening to see how fast the disease took over his once lively body. The scariest part was not knowing what he might have been feeling or thinking as things progressed. It is a disease that affects entire families.
There is still much to learn about this horrible disease, and some early risk indicators have been identified. I encourage everyone to learn more about this disease in order to help end the stigma.
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