Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
A diagnosis of dementia more than doubles the risk of suicide in the first three months after a patient is told the news, according to the latest research.
The study, which followed nearly 600,000 English people for 18 years, found patients who already had a psychiatric condition, or who were younger than age 65 at the time of diagnosis, were at a similar risk. The risk was highest during the first three months after learning the news for people younger than 65: They were 6.5 times more likely to die by suicide.
"A dementia diagnosis can be devastating, but the immediate period after diagnosis is often the period of greatest distress," said lead study author Dr. Charles Marshall, clinical senior lecturer and honourary consultant neurologist at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health at Queen Mary University of London.
"Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's at an early age is rare, unexpected and overwhelming, making it very difficult to accept," said Beth Kallmyer, vice president of care and support for the Alzheimer's Association, who was not involved in the study.
"One of the most important things you could tell someone facing an Alzheimer's diagnosis is that they are not alone and support is available," she said.
Prior research has established a distinct connection between dementia and suicide, including a 2021 study by Yale University scientists. "Adults over the age of 65 who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease were twice as likely to die from suicide than older adults who did not suffer from dementia," Kallmyer said.
Most cases of dementia are in the elderly, but chronic conditions and behavioural choices can play a role, according to Kallmyer. "Obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyles in younger people are rising quickly, and these are risk factors for dementia," she said.
In the new study, published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology, the actual number of people — 95 patients — who died by suicide after finding out they had dementia was small. However, that did not diminish the study's value in identifying the most vulnerable subgroups and three-month timing, Marshall said.
Past studies have also found a relationship between a diagnosis of dementia and suicide in people diagnosed at an earlier age. While the new study was unable to determine why this would be so, Marshall pointed to the interpersonal theory of suicide as a possible answer.
"Perceived burdensomeness is a critical pillar for suicidal behaviour," Marshall said. "That perception of burdensomeness may be higher in younger patients with dementia who are more likely to be in their work-productive years as well as have family-caring responsibilities."
Results from studies like these suggest that physicians should conduct a "robust risk assessment" for signs of suicide at the time of diagnosis, Marshall and his coauthors wrote in the latest study.
"We know that early Alzheimer's disease can cause low mood, anxiety and social isolation. These symptoms might be both causes and signs of suicide risk," Marshall said in an email.
Becoming educated about dementia "and in particular, younger onset Alzheimer's disease, is an important first step in supporting someone who receives a younger onset diagnosis," Kallmyer said.
Health and financial plans should be put in place early so that the person living with dementia can participate in those decisions, she suggested.
"If the person is still working, it's critical that they investigate employment benefits that could help them — and it's essential that they do this before they leave their jobs. Employer benefits might include short- and long-term disability insurance, which can be very helpful while they are applying for Social Security disability," Kallmyer said.
Signs of depression and suicidal warning signs mimic those of dementia, making it extremely difficult for caregivers, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
"Because of the complexities involved with diagnosing depression with dementia, it may be helpful to consult a geriatric psychiatrist who specializes in recognizing, diagnosing, and treating depression in older adults," the association noted.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (or 988 beginning July 16, 2022) or Canada's Talk Suicide 1-833-456-4566. The following resources are also available to support people in crisis:
Hope for Wellness Helpline: (English, French, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut): 1-855-242-3310
Embrace Life Council hotline: 1-800-265-3333
Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Whether passionate about Poirot or hungry for Holmes, Winnipeg mystery obsessives have had a local haunt for over 30 years in which to search out their latest page-turners.
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.