Mr. Speaker, this is Alzheimer's Awareness Month.
Alzheimer's disease has been called one of the most significant social and health crises of the 21st century. A recent Nanos survey shows that 47% of Canadians think it is not possible to live with this disease because of the stigma. Advances in treatment have improved the quality of life, but this is not enough.
Some 500,000 Canadians live with Alzheimer's or related diseases. This will double within a generation. Dementia costs the Canadian economy $15 billion each year and by 2038 this will rise to $153 billion. Alzheimer's disease puts families under great emotional stress every year.
Early signs of Alzheimer's include loss of memory, misplacing things, changes in personality and mood, disorientation of time, loss of initiative, and difficulty performing tasks.
There is an urgent need for investment in research toward early diagnosis and cure. Early identification of the risk of Alzheimer's is critical in delaying onset.