Originally published in the Toronto Sun on January 27th, 2011. To go to the Toronto Sun website please click here
OTTAWA – The feds are set to unveil $8.6 million for Alzheimer’s research, QMI Agency has learned.
Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will announce the funding Friday in Toronto along with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, which will distribute the cash among 44 research projects.
The money comes as the first set of baby boomers – the generation born after WWII ended – turn 65 this year. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after 65.
About 500,000 Canadians have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. The Alzheimer Society of Canada expects that number to double in the next 20 to 25 years as baby boomers age.
A spokeswoman for CARP, a group that represents retired Canadians, says the money is a step in the right direction.
“There’s a real need for more research into the causes and prevention of Alzheimer’s,” Susan Eng said.
“But the answers from that research will yet come … we want to see actual government action now and money spent on current service delivery that will actually help families today who are coping.”
She’d like to see a national strategy for dealing with dementia.
An Alzheimer Society online survey released this month showed almost a quarter of boomers don’t know the early signs of the disease.
Keywords: mental impairment
