Quebec faces challenges with Alzheimer’s cases on the rise

By 2050, the number of Quebecers living with a neurocognitive disorder such as Alzheimer’s could exceed 360,000, more than double the current number. Given the fragility of the healthcare system, this is a “somewhat frightening” observation, according to Sylvie Grenier, General Manager of the Fédération Québécoise des Sociétés Alzheimer.

“In Quebec, we have a very steep demographic curve in terms of the aging of the population, so it’s the primary risk factor,” she says in an interview. “[…] We can’t manage it now, but just imagine what it will be like in 20 years’ time.”

She stresses the scale of the challenges in the context of “a healthcare system that is struggling to provide.”

“And for people who don’t have a family doctor, this remains an issue. We’re working very hard on this with the government, and the government is not unaware of it,” assures Grenier.

Rachel Samson, Director of Research and Innovation at Fédération québécoise des sociétés Alzheimer says one of the main challenges is being able to provide care in a timely manner for everyone that needs it. The people with the disease, and caregivers as well.

“It’s the care—being able to bring the care in a timely manner for everyone that needs it: people with the disease and the caregivers as well,” said Samson.

“It’s just the sheer number of people needing help and all sort of help in different ways, whether it’s to be able to stay home longer or finding a place to stay because the disease has advanced to far in stages. The care for people, and for the healthcare system to help out everyone, is going to be incredible. It’s massive.”

Samson adds that the number of people who will be living with the disease is worrisome.

“It is concerning. It is a lot of people in the population who will need help. It’s not only the person impacted by the disease, but their family as well. At this point in time, everybody knows someone who has the disease or knows someone who knows someone with the disease.”

Samson explained that aging is the main risk factor for developing the disease.

“The aging population is the main risk factor for developing the disease. The older a person is, the greater the probability of developing the disease is. So, with the aging population, more and more individuals will, unfortunately, develop the disease.”

Sonia Bélanger, Minister responsible for Seniors, wants to make homecare a priority. She hopes to present a national home support policy sometime in 2025.

The increase in the number of people with neurocognitive disorders also has an impact on the Quebec economy. “It also has a huge cost in terms of the job market, because you need at least two caregivers for every person living with the disease. It has an impact on people in the workplace, who often even have to leave their jobs to be able to care for a loved one,” Grenier points out.

“It has an extraordinary economic impact on both the healthcare network and the job market,” she adds.

Samson adds, “The government is working on managerial plans to bring an increase in support to help individuals to stay at their home, in living environment. The government is working hard at changing and making adaptations to the system so they can bring help at home more effectively, rapidly, and better suited to the needs of the people living with the disease, as well as their caregivers.”

The Quebec economy is also impacted by the increasing numbers of people with neurocognitive disorders. For ever person living with the disease, two caregivers are needing, which puts pressure on the job market. Individuals sometimes leave their jobs in order to care for a loved one.

“There’s a lot of stigma associated with the disease, and it’s important to know that having the disease is not the end of life. It is not a sentence. You can live many more years—not healthy because you have the disease, but you live well for many more years with the disease. It is not the end,” said Samson.

The benefits of early diagnosis

Grenier reminds us that if Alzheimer’s disease is caught early, it greatly improves the chances of the person retaining their cognitive faculties for longer.

“The earlier you know, the less it’s too late” is the message of the Fédération québécoise des Sociétés Alzheimer for January, Alzheimer Awareness Month.

“Early diagnosis is very important for many reasons. In part, certain treatment work better early, but also because you can make lifestyle changes. Exercising and stimulating the brain—just by being with your friends and talking is is one way,” explained Samson.

“Going outside—like just stimulating the brain in ways is very helpful in prolonging healthy aging and the earlier phase of the disease for as long as possible, but also diagnosing early can allow you to make changes in the life so that you can continue to preserve it longer.”

Up to 50 per cent of people living with a neurocognitive disorder are diagnosed at too advanced a stage of the disease.

Early signs of Alzheimer’s disease include difficulty retaining new information, temporal or spatial confusion, and misplacing objects in unfamiliar places.

The fear of being diagnosed with a degenerative disease for which there is as yet no cure is the main reason why people are reluctant to consult a doctor after the onset of early signs.  

Grenier points out that there are medications that can improve quality of life when the diagnosis is made early in the course of the disease. In addition, signs of memory loss or other symptoms may be due to another health problem, such as a vitamin B12 deficiency, which is why it’s important to consult a doctor.

“It’s not necessarily Alzheimer’s disease; it could be normal signs of aging. At some point, we all look up a friend’s first or last name. You can’t remember it, then it comes back two minutes later. But when it’s repetitive, maybe you need to pay attention,” warns Grenier.

 “We don’t want to go looking for a diagnosis because from the moment we have a diagnosis, what we hear is that the person is becoming Alzheimer. The person is no longer there. We don’t even consider them as a person in their own right anymore, and we don’t even turn to them for their needs,” she laments.

This factor puts people off talking to their doctor.

Yet Quebecers should not hesitate if they have doubts about their cognitive health, because in addition to improving their chances of delaying decline, early diagnosis allows them to prepare their finances, make their wishes known to their loved ones and make informed decisions for the future.

-This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews