Manitoba is set to follow a similar trend, with cases expected to rise from the current 18,400 to about 39,100 over the same period.

		Read more: Manitoba government adds Alzheimer’s Society support for those living with dementia 		
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			The Manitoba government is adding support from the Alzheimer’s Society for those living with dementia

Wendy Schettler, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba, said the data is not surprising. “We did a study a few years ago and two-thirds of Manitobans had already recognized that they had a close friend or family member who was affected by dementia,” he said. “And so already more of us have been affected than not.” According to the study, the increase in cases will not only affect family members and caregivers of people with dementia – Canada’s health care system will also take a hit. Story continues below ad

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“We’ve seen that it’s just not ready to support people now, let alone when you’re looking at that kind of increase in numbers, and so we need more investment in the health care system. We need more investment in home care, in long-term care, in our support for families who care for people with dementia. We need more investment in creating dementia-friendly communities. There are so many things we still need to do,” Schettler said. Jan Legeros, executive director of the Long Term & Continuing Care Association of Manitoba, said the need for more care spaces was identified 10 years ago. Trending Stories

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“There was a report done in 2012 by the Center for Health Policy that predicted we would need between five and 6,000 more care spaces.” Legeros said Manitoba currently has 10,000 beds, but that won’t be enough to meet the growing demand. He added that more beds are not enough – different models of care are also needed. “People with dementia do much, much better in environments where they have more elbow room, if you will, than you see in a personal care home, and so over time, personal care homes have implemented that what we call special needs environments,” he said. Story continues below ad “They can make a decision about when to have breakfast, when to take a bath, things like that. So it’s not as regulated as it should be in a smaller space like a personal care home.”

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Settler said the government has a role to play in supporting people with Alzheimer’s, but there are some things people can do to reduce their risk. “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain. So exercise, don’t smoke, take care of your other health risks, manage your weight, cut down on your drinking, stay active and engaged in the world. So social connection is really, really important. We have learned more and more about how important sleep is. We’ve also learned that it’s very important to make sure you’re listening well, so take care of those pieces, protect your head.” Schettler said risk reduction methods may not completely prevent dementia, but they can delay symptoms for several years. 4:37 Promising Alzheimer’s research at St. Boniface Hospital Promising Alzheimer’s Research at St. Boniface Hospital – August 25, 2022 © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.