AAD Bermuda: What’s Your Plan Campaign
Action on Alzheimer’s & Dementia [AAD] Bermuda is partnering with Alzheimer’s Disease International [ADI] in a #What’sYourPlan Campaign to urge their government to take action on developing a National Dementia Plan.
A spokesperson said, “Action on Alzheimer’s & Dementia [AAD] and Alzheimer’s Disease International [ADI] are introducing the What’s Your Plan campaign to urge the Government of Bermuda to continue tackling dementia as a health care crisis, and to shine a light on the benefits to people living with dementia, their families and carers, of a good quality National Dementia Plan.
“AAD is raising awareness of the condition and the progress being made in light of the cases of dementia which continue to soar globally.”
“We have been heartened by recent efforts made by the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors who are leading efforts relating to care and support of individuals and families navigating a dementia diagnosis in our community,” says Executive Director for AAD, Erica Fulton.
“However, we remain deeply concerned that adequate dementia care and support services are not covered by the majority of health insurance plans, including Future Care.
“In the absence of a stand alone dementia plan we will continue to advocate that dementia be considered a critical part of the National Seniors Strategy as well as the proposed Universal Health Coverage plan. It is tantamount that all community stakeholders play their role in tackling this urgent health care crisis,” she says.
The spokesperson said, “One person who knows all too well the need for a national response to dementia is nurse at Northstar Dementia in Bermuda, Ria Outerbridge.”
“I see the need for further support from two sides, one in my role as a dementia nurse, and the other in my role as the daughter of someone living with dementia,” she says.
The spokesperson said, “Ria’s mother was diagnosed with dementia over 10 years ago. She says while her nursing education assisted her in understanding her mother’s behaviour as she passed through the various stages of dementia, what she was not prepared for was the intricacies of navigating fragmented dementia support and resources.
“I am thankful to organisations such as Action on Alzheimer’s and NorthStar Dementia who are a tremendous support to my family. However, more needs to be done on a national level to support individuals and their families who are living with a dementia diagnosis. We need a National Dementia Plan that prioritises public education for the whole process, from risk reduction to treatment and caregiver aid.
National Dementia Plan critical in preventing up to 40 per cent of cases
“Statistics show that dementia prevalence is set to increase in Bermuda by 200 per cent by 2050 to over 9,000 thousand people. Forty per cent of these cases could be delayed or potentially avoided altogether through risk reduction.
“Dementia remains the seventh leading cause of death globally and is a wide-spread problem in Caribbean countries. Especially as risk factors for dementia such as cardiovascular health, diabetes, family history, and older age are prominent in the region.
“AAD says further research is needed to reflect the real impact of dementia, rather than estimated figures for their region. They also believe education on dementia risk reduction is imperative to reduce stigma and caregiver burden in the nation.
“In September 2023, the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, along with the Bermuda Health Council announced the development of a National Seniors Strategy. This was defined as “a framework that outlines comprehensive, coordinated and cost-effective actions for addressing the changing needs of Bermuda’s ageing population.
“It was emphasised that the Strategy would include a plan for dementia and that it would take roughly six months to deliver.”
“We urge the Government to ensure that the seven action points of the WHO’s Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia are used to form the basis of this strategy,” says Fulton.
The spokesperson said, “Paola Barbarino, CEO at ADI, says dementia risk reduction should be designed with a life-course approach in mind, targeting both older and younger populations, with a focus on the modifiable 12 risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and infrequent social contact.”
“A National Dementia Plan is a vital step in addressing risk factors of dementia. If there’s a chance we could prevent or delay 40 per cent of dementia cases, we should act with utmost urgency,” she says.
The spokesperson said, “The prominence of this year’s #WhatsYourPlan campaigning is underpinned by the 2025 deadline of the WHO’s Global Action Plan on dementia.”
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