New data shows that the number of people with dementia is rapidly growing in Ontario and doctors are urging the province to invest in home care now to meet their needs.

There has been a 48 per cent increase in the number of patients with dementia in Ontario since 2010, according to a new analysis of Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) billing released by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) on Thursday. The OMA represents more than 43,000 doctors.

Dr. Andrew Park, president of the OMA, said resources need to be put in place to better support the province’s aging population and people with dementia.

“With an already strained health care system and fewer than 300 dementia care specialists across Canada, we are not prepared to meet their needs,” Park said at a virtual news conference.

“This is an issue that needs urgent attention from all levels of government so people can get the care they deserve and our health care system can withstand rising pressures.”

Park said dementia is a blanket term for a number of diseases that impact memory and cognitive ability and that interfere with the person’s ability to perform daily activities. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, represents 60 to 70 per cent of cases.

He said dementia is the seventh leading cause of death around the world and a major cause of disability and dependency among older adults. He said dependency impacts the individuals who have dementia and their caregivers, family and communities.

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CBC News
January 18, 2024