Evidence shows all levels of government are ill-equipped to handle the boom of dementia patients poised to overwhelm Canadian health care in the coming years, CanAge has found.

Last Tuesday, CanAge, Canada’s national seniors’ advocacy organization, released a new report assessing Canada’s level of preparedness to handle the massive influx of dementia patients.

Experts warn the numbers are set to overwhelm the health care system in the coming years.

The first-of-its-kind report shows that Canada is falling behind in the global race to deal with the increasingly complex needs of a rapidly aging population.

The latest census data show people 85 and older are now one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country (861,395 people in 2021).

There are 6,050 Yukoners who are over 65, the study says.

Given that the risk of dementia doubles at age 85 (to 25 per cent ), the window of opportunity to get ahead of an inevitable health care crisis is growing alarmingly slim.

“According to the two most recent Commonwealth Fund Surveys of Physicians in Canada, only 19 per cent of doctors in the Yukon felt equipped to diagnose and provide care for dementia,” said Laura Tamblyn Watts, the CEO of CanAge.

“We’re deeply concerned that we’re not making the best investments in our health care systems, people and processes to improve.

“Canada has a golden opportunity to emerge on the global stage as a leader in seniors’ care, but having a National Dementia Strategy isn’t enough on its own.”

The federal government needs to enact an implementation plan with clear success measures, she said.

“That means seamless collaboration and co-operation with provinces and territories.”

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its Global Action Plan on dementia in an effort to spur a co-ordinated worldwide approach to addressing the projected explosive growth in people living with cognitive decline.

Available data show there are currently more than 55 million people living with dementia, costing an estimated US$ 600 billion per year in health care spending.

Since then, more inclusive financial modeling suggests that those values are closer to US$ 1.3 trillion per year.

CanAge’s new report is called Dementia in Canada: Cross Country Report 2022.

It benchmarks each province’s and territory’s progress toward providing care for Canadians living with dementia.

Key findings in the report include:

• 1. By 2050, one in six people globally will be over the age of 65.

The Yukon’s population has nearly reached one in six persons over the age of 65, and the next generation of seniors make up a further 27 per cent of the population.

• 2. In 2020 in Canada, there were 6,491,030 children 17 or younger, and 2,300 paediatricians, or one paediatrician for every 2,822 children.

In that same year there were 6,835,866 seniors 65-plus, and only 327 geriatricians, or one geriatrician for every 20,905 seniors – an almost 10-fold difference!

In 2020, Yukon had none of the nation’s 327 geriatricians.

• 3. Many provinces do not have a clear dementia strategy, action plans, or care pathways for those living with dementia.

The Yukon is one of few jurisdictions that has a dementia strategy in place.

“There’s a common misconception that dementia is an “old people problem”, but that’s actually not true,” said Tamblyn Watts.

“Dementia is not a part of aging. In fact, three per cent of dementia cases occur in someone younger than 65.

“The truth is that the dementia boom is coming, whether we’re ready or not. And, judging by the current state, we’re simply not ready.”

The full report is available for download on the CanAge website.

CanAge works to improve the lives of older adults through advocacy, policy, and community engagement.

It’s a non-partisan, non-profit organization backed by a broad pan-Canadian membership base.

In a statement released late last week, Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee called her government “committed to providing person- centered, evidence-informed care throughout Yukoners’ lives, including for those living with dementia, caregivers and service providers.

“Recommendations in the Putting People First report and Aging in Place Action Plan include expanding the Seniors and Elders Community Day program, providing dementia training for care partners, and launching a public education campaign to reduce stigma associated with dementia.”

The government is making progress and will continue making adjustments, McPhee added.

As well, the Yukon is an active member of the federal/provincial/territorial committee on dementia. This committee developed the National Dementia Strategy, which was released in the spring of 2019.

“Conversations are ongoing with partners, such as the Alzheimer Society of Canada, to support the Yukon’s goals for dementia awareness, education, stigma reduction and prevention,” McPhee said.

“We also collaborated with the Centre for Aging and Brain Health to deliver SPARK Shine a Light on Dementia training.”

That six-session public series on dementia and caregiving in 2020 was recorded, translated into French and made available to caregivers through the Northern Institute of Social Justice as well as to staff on the Yukon government’s intranet.

The Behavioural Care Resource Team was also formed in 2021 as a resource for staff who provide care to long-term care residents living with dementia and other mental health diagnoses.

Dementia-focused care is provided at Copper Ridge Place (two houses) and Whistle Bend Place (one house) in Whitehorse for mobile adults who have dementia and require a therapeutic and secure environment as well as 24-hour monitoring and support, the minister added.

“Long-term care is publicly provided in the Yukon.

“Residents with dementia and mild to moderate cognitive impairment are also supported in Intermediate and Extended Care levels in all the long-term care homes in Whitehorse and Dawson City,” McPhee said.

Home care also supports clients with dementia and their caregivers in Yukon communities to remain in their homes, she added.

“Our government cares deeply about the safety and well-being of our elders and seniors, and we remain committed to ensuring our aging population can live full, safe and meaningful lives,” McPhee said.