¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ researchers are teaming up with the University Hospital Foundation and patient groups to create a simpler care pathway for people living with dementia so they can get an earlier diagnosis, start treatment sooner and slow progression of the disease.
“Early recognition and detection of symptoms allows you to make lifestyle changes and take prescribed treatments that might delay the progression or deal with underlying risk factors,” says principal investigator , professor of geriatric medicine.
Up to 50 per cent of risk may be mitigated by healthy aging behaviour such as managing diabetes, blood pressure and heart health; doing regular exercise; and engaging in intellectual and social stimulation, says Wagg.
“We know that social isolation and loneliness will increase the progression of cognitive impairment and increase stress for family members,” says co-principal investigator , assistant professor of nursing and member of the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, who notes that most people with dementia live at home and would benefit from “social prescriptions” for community-based activities.
The team has been granted $1 million by the Government of ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥’s Primary Care Innovation Fund and additional to complete their project over four years.
“The University Hospital Foundation is proud to partner with Drs. Wagg and Symonds-Brown and the Government of ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ on this urgently needed project,” says Jodi Abbott, president and CEO of the University Hospital Foundation.
“Investing in dementia care is not just about improving health outcomes — it’s also about providing hope, preserving dignity, supporting families and building a compassionate future for aging ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ns. This project has the potential to do that, and that’s why we’re providing critical ongoing funding.”
It’s estimated that nearly 800,000 people in Canada live with dementia, and that number will grow to a million by 2030, .
“When you establish a diagnosis and you get the right care pathway, you get better quality of care and a better quality of life,” says Wagg.