Promoting dementia awareness and healthy lifestyle monitoring to reduce dementia and chronic disease risk in at-risk adults in Bowmanville North, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Over half a million people in Canada live with dementia (Alzheimer's Disease International, 2015a). According to various reports, prevalence cases was higher among adult women between the ages of 18 and 49 years (Alzheimer's Impact Movement, 2019b; World Health Organization, 2015). The same report highlighted a 60% increase (from approximately 10 billion, spent in 2016, to above 16 billion Canadian dollars, by the year 2013) in health care costs of managing the care and support of dementia cases. The chief findings of the Bowmanville North community health baseline study supported to show higher levels of psychological distress, leading to anxiety and depression among women, as compared to men. Other studies, such as by Rogers and Pilgrim (2014) similarly showed women as needing more professional health attention. Women's health need was particularly necessary for those who were dealing with four or more chronic health conditions. A healthy lifestyle was associated with a reduced risk of dementia and chronic diseases. Hence efforts of public health intervention targeted to mitigate dementia and chronic diseases among the population at risk in Canada (a high-income country) was to those who would be 70 years old by 2050 (Longe, 2015). Hence, toward an understanding of the target population's health needs, the goal of the Healthy Practices promotion project was to promote a comprehensive intervention comprising of healthy practices (dementia awareness, healthy lifestyle monitoring). Thus, by using the NEWSTART (Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunlight, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust) modality lifestyle-changes of health (one of the ideologies of health), the project target was to reduce Canada's economic and social health imbalance from caregiver stressors, in predominantly women. Awareness of dementia and practice of a balanced lifestyle was promoted among close family members (parents, siblings, children, neighbors, and friends) of the individuals at risk of dementia and chronic diseases. To reduce dementia and chronic disease risk in at-risk adults, targeted were those at least between the ages of 18 to 49 years who were living in Bowmanville North community of Clarington Municipality.