Dementia projected to surge 273% in Indigenous communities while support services lacking – Global News
January 22, 2024
New research by the Alzheimer Society shows Indigenous communities should brace for a whopping 273% increase in dementia cases by 2050, substantially higher than the potential 187% increase forecast for the overall population in Canada.
Dementia is a broad term for symptoms caused by progressive loss of brain function. It can impair judgment and memory, the ability to perform daily tasks, affect mood and behavior and lead to the loss of independence. Alzheimer’s is one of 50 types of dementia.
Advancing age is the most common factor as well as genetics and gender. But a combination of additional factors puts the Indigenous population at a higher risk, according to The Landmark Study Part 2: The Many Faces of Dementia in Canada released today.
“When examining social determinants of health and dementia, the stress resulting from factors such as racism, inadequate housing, poverty, residential schools and colonialism cannot be ignored,” reads the study, conducted by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis for the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
