Bill C-356, a private member’s bill for a national dementia strategy needs signatures. Please sign now, so it can be debated in the House of Commons this year.
I have a 43-year-old teacher volunteering on my campaign for a national dementia plan because, astonishingly, Matt’s wife, who is 45, is already in secure, long-term care with the illness (Frontotemporal dementia, FTD). They have three children aged 14, 12 and 10.
About 15 percent of the 750,000 Canadians living with dementia are under 60 years old.
When you also realize that people with dementia have on average three or four caregivers, that means dementia is already directly affecting at least three million Canadians. Those numbers will quadruple in a generation.
Those big numbers may not mean as much to us as the people we actually know with the disease or acting as their caregiver — a family member, friend, neighbour or work colleague.
My private member’s bill for a national dementia plan (C-356) will be debated in the House of Commons late this year.
To date, 40 petitions have been tabled with five more here to be adding to that when MPs return this fall. Over 200 municipalities have passed resolutions.
I urge you to contact your local MPs this summer so they know voters in their riding back a national strategy and federal leadership working with provincial and municipal partners.
This strategy will deliver research, early diagnosis and intervention, support for caregivers, workforce training, and strengthening the integration of primary, home and community care.
I like to say Alzheimer’s and related dementia diseases are non-partisan. We will need non-partisan solutions.
I believe members of parliament from all parties should back a national dementia strategy, but it will help their decision knowing voters in their ridings support this.
On my website you can find more information on my bill as well as a petition to print that, with a minimum of 25 signatures, your MP or I can present to Parliament this fall.
To date, 40 petitions have been tabled with five more here to be adding to that when MPs return this fall. Over 200 municipalities have passed resolutions.
www.claudegravelle.ca or email claude.gravelle@parl.gc.ca
Canada is one of the few G8 countries without a national dementia strategy. Please contact your MP and together let’s change that.
Claude Gravelle, MP
Nickel Belt
Further info:
To read about Claude Gravelle’s personal family experience with Alzheimer’s, read “I didn’t know enough,” in the Sudbury Star.