Advocacy

Let's Talk Dementia

We believe people with dementia and their care partners need to be better supported and that there are practical and realistic steps that can be taken to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia.

That’s why the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan is launching Let’s Talk Dementia.

Our intention is to make dementia in Saskatchewan an election priority.

We have created a special advocacy site that outlines our priorities and offer tools for you to use to share your opinions, stories and to connect with the leaders of Saskatchewan's political parties.

Join today at Let's Talk Dementia

Our Key Priorities 

We are starting with four priorities which we believe are part of creating real solutions to better improve the lives of people living with dementia. 

To improve the quality of life for people living with dementia in our province, including underserved and rural groups, Saskatchewan must: 

1. Improve timely diagnosis and connecting to post-diagnostic support   

Improve access to timely diagnosis that is communicated in a compassionate manner and includes links to supports and services immediately following the diagnosis. 

Why it matters: Early diagnosis gives people the ability to understand what to expect and be more actively involved in personal decisions, including healthcare. In Saskatchewan, wait times for dementia diagnoses and related services have been identified as a significant concern. Prolonged wait times can delay crucial early interventions, impacting the effectiveness of treatments and the overall quality of life for individuals with dementia. These delays also place additional stress on families and caregivers, who may struggle to manage symptoms without professional guidance. 

2. Improve supports to stay at home   

Increase supports and services, like home care, adult day programs, respite and education for people living with dementia and family caregivers so they have information to better understand dementia, what to expect and to plan for the future.   

Why it matters: Increasing the ability for people living with dementia to stay at home longer demands providing crucial support for their families and caregivers. With dementia on the rise and with limited availability of dementia care resources in rural Saskatchewan, there are widespread concerns around social isolation of, and poor quality of life, for persons living with dementia and their care partners in rural areas. It is projected that community care will become the dominant mode of dementia care in the province by 2028 and the limited availability of dementia care resources especially in rural and underserved communities may impact the well-being of persons living with dementia and their care partners.

3. Increase education for care partners to help them to better cope with and manage responsive behaviours.    

Increase access to education to help understand the progression of dementia and coping strategies for family caregivers. Increase education to manage responsive behaviours for family caregivers (supporting the person living with dementia with changes in mood, personality and behaviour including getting lost, depression, frustration, anxiety, and nighttime/sleep disturbances). 

Why it matters: Dementia is often a challenging journey, especially when faced with responsive behaviours such as aggression, agitation, and wandering. These behaviours can be distressing for both the individual with dementia and their care partners. It is crucial to increase and improve the education and support for care partners, empowering them to better cope with and manage responsive behaviours. By doing so, we can significantly improve the quality of life for both care partners and those living with dementia.

4. Increase awareness about brain health, ways to lower the risk and prevent dementia. 

Increase access to information on reducing risk and delaying the onset of dementia by addressing modifiable risk factors through evidence-based lifestyle changes. 

Why it matters:  We can reduce the number of people developing dementia -  40% of dementias can be prevented and delayed through lifestyle actions. Raising awareness about brain health is the first step in dementia prevention. Many people are unaware of the connection between lifestyle choices and cognitive decline. By educating the public, we can encourage healthier habits that promote brain health and reduce the risk of dementia.

Join today at Let's Talk Dementia