Vers une politique nationale pour améliorer la prise en charge de la maladie d’Alzheimer au Québec

Patients and stakeholders mobilized for two days of work with elected officials who are drafting a national policy to improve the care of Alzheimer’s disease, which could affect more and more Quebecers in the coming years.

TVA Nouvelles had access to one of these work days which brought together MPs from several parties to work on this issue, as was the case with medical assistance in dying.

“The disease has no political color, Alzheimer’s, major cognitive disorders, they have no political colors either, Quebecers expect us to rise above the fray,” said Péquiste MP Joël Arseneau.

For geriatrician Dr. Howard Bergman, who acts as medical advisor to the bipartisan working group, this initiative allows this disease to be “put front and center on the agenda”.

An “epidemic” on the horizon

Currently, 7.1% of people aged 65 and over suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, a figure that rises to 12.4% at age 80.

By 2030, it is estimated that there will be 200,000 people living with Alzheimer’s disease or a neurocognitive disorder.

“With the aging of the population, this is something that will become a real epidemic and we need to see it coming. We need to find remedies, not just prevention,” said Sol Zanetti, a legislator from Québec Solidaire.

This ministerial policy aims to update the one that was already put in place in 2009. Québec is allocating $20 million over four years for the action plan to be completed by the end of 2024.

The end of the obstacle course?

For Myriam Fleury-Bérubé, director of the Caregivers’ Center of Québec, the entry into the system is currently complex.

“There are many files, there are many caregivers, there is a lot of information to take into account in each file. We just need to involve more stakeholders to be able to listen,” she said.

“Nobody should get lost in the system and nobody should feel lost. We are thinking about how we can ensure that the person with the disease and their loved ones have access to someone quickly and easily to help them navigate,” added Dr. Bergman, who would like to see the arrival of accompanying nurses.

In addition to improving screening and diagnosis, the Legault government hopes to achieve very early management of the disease and enhance the services offered, particularly to support family caregivers, explained Sonia Bélanger, Minister Delegate for Health and Seniors.

“We must be proactive at this level and we want Québec to be among the best,” emphasized the minister.