Veteran science writer and broadcaster Jay Ingram delivered a lecture at Red Deer College this week. The long time host of Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet packed a lecture hall for his presentation called “The Alzheimer’s Mystery”.

More than 700,000 Canadians are dealing with some form of dementia. In just 15 years the number of people with dementia is expected to double to over 1.5 million cases. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia.

Ingram who began studying the science around Alzheimer’s when his own mother started showing symptoms, addressed three main questions; 1) Am I going to get it? 2) What can I do to lessen the risk, and 3) if I do get it, what happens next?

You can lower your odds of getting dementia by exercising, staying socially and mentally active, learning new skills, and doing things you enjoy like playing music. People with diabetes and high blood pressure have higher risks of getting the disease.

Also addressing the crowd were Kevin Keough, Executive Director of the Alberta Prion Research Institute and Dr. Jack Jhamandas of the U of A’s Department of Neurology. The Alberta Prion Research Institute is working with the Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta and North West Territories to build and increase capacity for research of the disease in Alberta. 

Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, mixed dementia, Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease.

“We were pleased to partner with the Prion Institute to bring Jay Ingram to Red Deer to speak about Alzheimer’s disease and the impact of dementia in the coming years,” said Michele Mulder, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories. “January is Alzheimer Awareness month and shining a light on this disease is important not only to highlight the help for today we provide through the services we offer, but to share hope for tomorrow through the research currently underway to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure. Our incredible staff in the Red Deer office is available to support families impacted by dementia – we encourage people to contact them.”

Click here for more information on Alzheimers Disease.