Canada’s National Dementia Strategy

Canada's National Dementia Strategy

The vision for this strategy is bold and reflects the aspirations of the many individuals and organizations who contributed to its development. The actions undertaken to achieve the strategy’s national objectives may evolve over time, but every action will bring Canada closer to the vision of a Canada in which all people living with dementia and caregivers are valued and supported, quality of life is optimized, and dementia is prevented, well understood, and effectively treated.

Minister's message

I am pleased to be sharing with you Canada’s first national strategy on dementia. Developing and funding this strategy has been a priority for the Government of Canada, but it is also a deeply personal priority. My first experience with dementia was during my time as a social worker; now I have a very different experience with dementia care following my mother’s diagnosis. I know very well the impact that dementia can have on those living with this condition, their family members and caregivers.

Dementia has a significant and growing impact in Canada. We know that there are more than 419,000 Canadians aged 65 and older diagnosed with dementia, but this is only part of the story. This number does not capture those under the age of 65 with a diagnosis of dementia and those who, possibly due to stigma or other barriers, remain undiagnosed. This strategy is not just for those living with or caring for someone with dementia. It is a strategy for all Canadians. There is a growing body of evidence that healthy living is key to preventing dementia. Whether as a caregiver to a family member or friend, as a person living with dementia or in interactions at work or community involvement, many of us will encounter dementia at some point in our daily lives.

The release of this strategy marks a key milestone in our efforts to create a Canada where all people living with dementia and caregivers are valued and supported, and experience an optimal quality of life and where dementia is prevented, effectively treated and better understood. Canada now joins those in the international community who have already developed national dementia strategies, supporting the first target in the WHO Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia (2017-2025).

At the opening of the National Dementia Conference in May 2018, I encouraged participants to dream big when sharing their thoughts and advice with us about the focus for our national dementia strategy. I believe we have achieved a strategy with an aspirational vision that will inspire and motivate us to work together towards our national objectives.

As we move forward, we will continue to collaborate with all those interested in addressing the challenges of dementia, including our partners in other governments, people living with dementia, caregivers, advocacy groups, health care providers and researchers. This strategy has been designed to evolve over time so that we can integrate new evidence and priorities. The Government of Canada will report to Parliament each year on the effectiveness of this strategy. New federal investments of $70 million over 5 years will also help to ensure we make meaningful progress on the national objectives of this strategy.

Many people have helped us get to this point. I would like to extend a thank you to all the individuals and organizations who shared their experiences and advice as well as their hopes and priorities for the strategy. Aging does not cause dementia, but advanced age increases risk. In her role as Minister of Seniors, Minister Filomena Tassi has been a strong supporter of the development of this national dementia strategy. Her conversations with seniors and caregivers are reflected in the strategy. I would like to thank Minister Tassi for her leadership in making dementia a priority in Canada by highlighting issues associated with this condition. I would also like to thank our provincial and territorial partners who have been generous in sharing the lessons learned from their work on dementia and who have welcomed the opportunity to collaborate. Lastly, I would especially like to thank the members of the Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia. Led by co-chairs Pauline Tardif and Dr. William Reichman, members volunteered their time and energy to ensure that we got this strategy right. The many hours that these members dedicated to reviewing the draft strategy during its development and attending meetings to share their knowledge and expertise with us is something for which I am personally very grateful and have enriched the strategy.

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health

Executive Summary

Canada’s first national dementia strategy sets out a vision for the future and identifies common principles and national objectives to help guide actions by all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, communities, families and individuals. In developing the strategy, we sought at all times to ensure that people living with dementia and the family and friends who provide care to them were at the heart of these efforts.

Dementia is a term used to describe symptoms affecting the brain that include a decline in cognitive abilities such as memory; awareness of person, place, and time; language; basic math skills; judgement; and planning. Mood and behavior may also change as a result of this decline. Dementia is a progressive condition that, over time, can reduce the ability to independently maintain activities of daily life.

The National Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Act (the Act) was passed in June 2017 and followed a comprehensive report on dementia from the Senate in 2016. This Act requires the federal Minister of Health to develop a national dementia strategy, host a national conference and establish a Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia.

The Minister held a national conference on dementia in May 2018, which brought together a diverse group of Canadians to identify and discuss challenges related to dementia, identify opportunities for collaboration and action, and share ideas for a national strategy. Participants at the conference included people living with dementia, caregivers, advocacy groups, health professionals, researchers and representatives from provincial and territorial governments.

Discussions were also held in March 2018 at 4 stakeholder roundtables across the country organized by the Alzheimer Society of Canada. Two further roundtables were held in Toronto to specifically discuss research and innovation. The roundtable on research was facilitated by the Weston Brain Institute and was attended primarily by researchers. The roundtable on innovation was facilitated by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation and attended by a diverse group of stakeholders. The strategy has also been informed by the guidance of the Ministerial Advisory Board, as well as ongoing engagement with provincial and territorial governments and other federal organizations. Footnote1

The vision for this strategy is bold and reflects the aspirations of the many individuals and organizations who contributed to its development. The actions undertaken to achieve the strategy’s national objectives may evolve over time, but every action will bring Canada closer to the vision of a Canada in which all people living with dementia and caregivers are valued and supported, quality of life is optimized, and dementia is prevented, well understood, and effectively treated.

Key to achieving this vision are 5 principles setting out values to guide the implementation of efforts in support of the national objectives and their areas of focus. In implementing the strategy, governments, non-governmental organizations, community organizations and others working on dementia should:

  1. Prioritize quality of life for people living with dementia and caregivers;
  2. Respect and value diversity to ensure an inclusive approach, with a focus on those most at risk or with distinct needs;
  3. Respect the human rights of people living with dementia to support their autonomy and dignity;
  4. Engage in evidence-informed decision making, taking a broad approach to gathering and sharing best available knowledge and data; and
  5. Maintain a results-focused approach to tracking progress, including evaluating and adjusting actions as needed.

Building on the vision and guided by these principles, the strategy identifies 3 national objectives:

  1. Prevent dementia
  2. Advance therapies and find a cure
  3. Improve the quality of life of people living with dementia and caregivers

Areas of focus are set out for each of these national objectives, to guide efforts toward meaningful progress.

Finally, the strategy identifies 5 underlying pillars that are essential for implementation, for upholding the principles and achieving the national objectives.

  1. Collaboration — Achieving progress on the strategy is a shared responsibility among governments, researchers, community organizations, people living with dementia, caregivers and many others
  2. Research and innovation — Promoting research and innovation will address knowledge gaps and develop therapies that will improve the quality of life of people with dementia and caregivers, and move us towards a cure
  3. Surveillance and data — Enhanced surveillance and data will help us to understand the scope of dementia in Canada, and focus our efforts and resources where they are most needed and will be most effective
  4. Information resources — The development of culturally appropriate and culturally safe information resources on dementia will facilitate the work of care providers to provide quality care and will help all Canadians to better understand dementia
  5. Skilled workforce — Having a sufficient and skilled workforce will support dementia research efforts and provide evidence-informed care, which will improve the quality of life of people living with dementia and caregivers

The strategy places emphasis on those groups who are at a higher risk of dementia as well as those who face barriers to equitable care. These groups include but are not limited to Indigenous peoples, individuals with intellectual disabilities, individuals with existing health issues such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes, older adults, women, ethnic and cultural minority communities, LGBTQ2 individuals, official language minority communities, rural and remote communities, and those with young onset dementia.

The final chapter of the strategy outlines next steps toward implementation including the development of indicators, identification of opportunities for focused collaboration between partners, and reporting. It concludes with the recognition that advancement of the strategy will require the collective action of many organizations and individuals, as well as the flexibility to evolve and respond to new ideas and emerging needs over time. The Government of Canada will report annually on the effectiveness of this strategy, as required by the Act, beginning in 2019.