AVÐÇÇò

Understanding health care trajectories of people living with dementia

April 11, 2024 — This report expands on AVÐÇÇò’s 2018 report Dementia in Canada and focuses on the health care trajectories of people living with dementia. It examines the clinical characteristics and socio-demographic factors of people living with dementia, along with caregiver factors, with a particular focus on the home care and long-term care sectors.

Key findings

  • People living with dementia follow different health care trajectories. These trajectories reflect the differences in their health care needs and in the supports available.
  • More than half of people living with dementia (58%) had home care as part of their trajectory, and almost half of this group (46%) subsequently moved to a long-term care facility. 
  • 60% of people living with dementia who moved to long-term care were hospitalized in the 3 months before their move. However, only 12% were hospitalized in the 3 months after they moved to long-term care.
  • Caregivers of people living with dementia were more likely to experience feelings of distress, anger and depression compared with those caring for people without dementia.

Featured material

A Step Toward Understanding Health Care Trajectories of People Living With Dementia

This report provides key highlights about some of the health care trajectories of people living with dementia and their caregivers, including hospitalizations before transitions to home care and long-term care.

Read this report(PDF)

Acknowledgements

This report is part of a collaboration between AVÐÇÇò and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), which provided funding to support this work under the .

AVÐÇÇò would like to also acknowledge contributions from our provincial partners — , and — and to thank the caregivers and care providers we spoke with, who provided quotes and perspectives for the report.

Please note that the analyses and conclusions in the report do not necessarily reflect those of the individuals or organizations mentioned above.

Related resources

 

How to cite:

Canadian Institute for Health Information. Understanding health care trajectories of people living with dementia. Accessed October 22, 2024.

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