Skip to content

Alzheimers diagnosis causes fear

Early detection opens doors to early intervention

A new survey says that the majority of British Columbians are concerned about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

The poll, conducted jointly by Insights West and the Alzheimer Society of BC, found that some 61 per cent of respondees, including Powell River residents, are concerned about getting the brain degenerative disease. Thirty-nine per cent of people answering the poll know someone with Alzheimer’s.

“Age is the greatest known risk factor and our baby boomers, the largest demographic group in our population, have now started to enter the 65-plus years,” said Kerry Sutherland, the society’s support and education coordinator for North Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. “There is still a lot we don’t know about the causes and we don’t have a cure so it’s not a surprise that Alzheimer’s disease is ranked so high as a health concern.”

According to the study, it is the third most feared disease among BC residents after cancer (74 per cent) and heart disease (69 per cent). This finding is particularly alarming, she said, since the prevalence of the disease is not as high in BC as cancer, heart disease or even diabetes.

A more encouraging finding from the survey is that 52 per cent of respondents believe there will be a cure found in the next 10 years. In the meantime, said Sutherland, there needs to be more awareness and education about the disease.

Dementia is more than just memory loss and when intervention comes in the mid- to late stages of the disease, “the reality of the impact is often unexpected and incredibly overwhelming as this heartbreaking illness progresses.”

An early diagnosis means earlier access to support and medical treatments to help manage the symptoms of the disease, she added.

Earlier intervention can also allow families to plan for and manage the challenges on the dementia journey with quality of life as a priority.

Local families can turn to Sutherland for assistance. She can be contacted at 1.604.984.8348 or ksutherland@alzheimerbc.org.

“While concern about being diagnosed with the disease is high, there is still more work to be done around awareness and education about the disease,” she said.

The Charitable Giving study by Insights West found that although the Alzheimer Society of BC ranks high in terms of brand awareness among BC non-profit organizations, only about 14 per cent of BC adults responding to the survey have made a donation to the society in the past.

To learn more about the many ways to give to the Alzheimer Society of BC, readers can visit the society's website and click on the “Donate” link at the top of the page.