Rising Tide: Summary

Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society summarizes the current and projected economic and social costs of dementia in Canada.  It also compares current policies and strategies in Canada and around the globe and makes a series of recommendations based on these best practices.

Rising Tide demonstrates that Canadians must call on their federal, provincial and local governments to rise to the challenge of the dementia epidemic by acting on these recommendations.

The findings of Rising Tide1

Health burden of dementia for Canada: 2008-2038²

  • Incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Canada:
    • 2008 - 103,700 new cases per year (1 every 5 minutes)
    • 2038 - 257,800 new cases per year (1 every 2 minutes)
  • Prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Canada:
    • 2008 - 480,600 people with dementia (1.5% of Canada's population)
    • 2038 - 1,125,200 people with dementia (2.8% of Canada's population)
  • Hours of informal care provided annually for people with dementia in Canada
    • 2008 - 231 million hours
    • 2038 - 756 million hours

Economic consequences of dementia for Canada: 2008-2038²
The economic burden of dementia doubles every decade, increasing from $15 billion in 2008 to a startling $153 billion in 2038.

  • Economic burden of dementia (in future dollars)
    • 2008 - $15 billion
    • 2018 - $37 billion
    • 2028 - $75 billion
    • 2038 - $153 billion

Last Updated: 03/25/12