Advocating for a Dementia Strategy and its Connection with fall Prevention
Posted Le 23 février 2017
A few weeks ago it was brought to the attention of the Loop Newsletter subgroup, the Special Edition of the GSH Bulletin (Geriatric Health Systems Research Group, University of Waterloo). This Special Edition was published in January 2017 – Alzheimer Month. The information contained was pertinent not only to those presently who have Alzheimer Disease or another form of Dementia, but to many others who will develop Dementia in upcoming years. The Special Edition writers were advocating on behalf of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario and their actionfordementia.ca campaign concerning the inclusion of a Dementia Strategy in the upcoming 2017 Ontario Provincial Budget. The basis of this action is to make local MPP’s aware, through a virtual email writing campaign, about why such a Strategy is needed and why it needs to be funded. Within the actionfordementia.ca website, a virtual email/letter can be sent to your local MPP, urging them to stand up for persons with dementia and their families. With an aged population, a high level of care support stress among many Ontarians and a strong need for increased and greater community supports, the time to act is NOW.
The creation of a Dementia Strategy is very important as a fall prevention measure for persons with Dementia and their caregivers. A person with a mental and/or physical impairment is 3times more likely than a cognitively intact person to obtain a hip fracture, double the rate to have a fall with fractures and have a reduced life expectancy. Increased funding is needed for Caregivers to prevent falls both in the home and community for their loved ones with Dementia.
To read more about the Alzheimer Society of Ontario Dementia Strategy, visit their webpage called Strategy Supporting Documents. Through means of an explanation and access to three supporting documents, a strong case for implementing a Dementia Strategy is made.
Additional Reading
Maggio D, Ercolani S, Andreani S, Ruggiero C, Mariani E, Mangialasche F, Palmari N, Mecocci P. Emotional and psychological distress of persons involved in the care of patients with Alzheimer disease predicts falls and fractures in their care recipients. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2010;30(1):33-8. Abstract
Faes MC, Reelick MF, Joosten-Weyn Banningh LW, Gier Md, Esselink RA, Olde Rikkert MG. Qualitative study on the impact of falling in frail older persons and family caregivers: foundations for an intervention to prevent falls. Aging Ment Health. 2010 Sep;14(7):834-42. Abstract
Kamiya M, Sakurai T, Ogama N, Maki Y, Toba K. Factors associated with increased caregivers' burden in several cognitive stages of Alzheimer's disease. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2014 Apr;14 Suppl 2:45-55. Abstract
van Iersel MB, Verbeek AL, Bloem BR, Munneke M, Esselink RA, Rikkert MG. Frail elderly patients with dementia go too fast. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2006 Jul;77(7):874-6. Full Text
Friedman SM, Menzies IB, Bukata SV, Mendelson DA, Kates SL. Dementia and hip fractures: development of a pathogenic framework for understanding and studying risk. Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2010 Nov;1(2):52-62. Full Text