We're not ready to handle massive spike in Indigenous dementia: Alzheimer Society

Dementia cases among Indigenous Canadians could rise by as much as 273% in the next three decades, according to a newly released Alzheimer Society of Canada (ASC) study.

This week ASC shared data from The Many Faces of Dementia in Canada study, which looks to better understand how dementia affects Canadians based on demographic and social factors, including race, sex, gender, age and economic status.

“With the rapid rise of our aging population in Canada, this is one of the first studies that seeks to better understand the many faces of dementia,” ASC said in a media release. “Research indicates significant variations in the risk of development, prevalence, presentation, and health outcomes of dementia across various communities in Canada, including differences in ethnicity, race, sex, gender and age.

“In Canada, we are in danger of failing the rapidly growing number of people living with dementia and their care partners if services and supports are not tailored to their unique needs.”

The study shows that the number of people of Indigenous ancestry living with dementia in Canada is expected to increase to 40,300 from 10,800 by the year 2050.

That number is significantly larger than the expected increase for the entire population, as the study shows a 187% expected increase in the next three decades of dementia cases among all Canadians, and says that as many as 1.7 million Canadians are likely to be living with dementia by 2050.

According to ASC, dementia is a broad term for symptoms caused by progressive loss of brain function that can impair judgment, memory and the ability to perform daily tasks and affect people’s moods and behaviours, while Alzheimer’s is one of 50 types of dementia.

Advancing age and genetics are the most common risk for a dementia diagnosis, according to ASC, but their study says other factors put the Indigenous population at high risk, including “stress resulting from factors such as racism, inadequate housing, poverty, residential schools and colonialism.”

“Structural barriers and social determinants of health have had an impact on the brain health of a large segment of the population,” ASC research scientist and lead author of the study Dr. Joshua Armstrong said in a release.

“Our findings highlight that we need to adapt how we help everyone, including Indigenous, racialized and younger adults living with dementia while supporting access to care, diagnosis and prevention tools for all.”

As the number of Indigenous people with dementia is expected to rise, the study says health-care systems and other support systems will now need to change and “evolve,” and be more adaptive to the needs of Indigenous patients, and patients of all backgrounds.

“Everyone who develops dementia has different and evolving personal resources and health-care needs. Services and supports must be tailored to the unique needs and diverse experiences within the population,” ASC said.

Results from the study also show significant differences in dementia case numbers based on gender in Canada, as it shows that in 2020, an estimated 61.8% of persons living with dementia were female, and that by 2050, projections show that over 1 million people living with dementia in Canada will be female, and that female dementia patients will outnumber male patients by a ratio of two to one.

The report includes a list of actions that ASC said Alzheimer societies across Canada, as well as health-care providers, governments, and researchers can take to “better understand dementia in Indigenous populations and diverse communities.”

ASC says they will use the data to “push for change” and ask that “individuals, organizations, and all levels of governments work collaboratively toward inclusion, equity and diversity in dementia research and support, leading to better care for all.”

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun