Timely Dementia Diagnosis Must Lead to Support
On World Alzheimer’s Day, the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia is highlighting the ongoing challenges of accessing a timely dementia diagnosis and calling for a clearer pathway from diagnosis to treatment and community support.
Halifax, N.S. – September 21, 2026 – On World Alzheimer’s Day, the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia is highlighting the ongoing challenges of accessing a timely dementia diagnosis and calling for a clearer pathway from diagnosis to treatment and community support.
More than 18,000 Nova Scotians are estimated to be living with dementia in 2026, a number projected to grow to nearly 30,000 by 2050. Against that backdrop, this year’s World Alzheimer’s Month theme, The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters, is especially relevant in Nova Scotia.
A timely, accurate diagnosis gives people more opportunity to understand what is happening, access appropriate treatment and support, plan for the future and make decisions about their lives while they are able to do so.
“An earlier diagnosis gives people something incredibly valuable: time,” says John Britton, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia. “Time to get answers, connect with support and treatment, have important conversations and make choices about the future. But a delayed diagnosis delays everything that follows. Too many Nova Scotians are still waiting too long for answers.”
While access to primary care in Nova Scotia has improved, almost 60,000 people still do not have a primary care provider. Some primary care providers also report feeling under-resourced to diagnose and manage dementia, which can lead to specialist referrals and longer waits for people experiencing changes in memory or thinking.
Those delays represent months when people could be receiving medication where appropriate, connecting with community supports, making advance care plans and taking steps to maintain their independence and quality of life.
Nova Scotia identified earlier diagnosis and connection to support as priorities in its 2015 provincial dementia strategy. More than a decade later, the Society is calling for a clearer provincial pathway connecting primary care, specialists, Nova Scotia Health and community-based support. A dementia diagnosis should trigger, with the person’s consent, connection to system navigation, education and ongoing support
The issue is becoming more urgent as dementia research and treatment continue to evolve. On World Alzheimer’s Day, Alzheimer’s Disease International will release its World Alzheimer Report 2026: A New Era in Dementia Clinical Trials, examining the role clinical trials play in advancing new approaches to dementia diagnosis, treatment and care
“We are entering a period of significant change in dementia research, diagnosis and treatment,” says Sacha Nadeau, Director of Research and Advocacy at the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia. “But people can only benefit from that progress when there is a pathway to reach it. Nova Scotia must be ready to equitably connect people to timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment and community support across the province.”
World Alzheimer’s Day is the focal point of World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign to raise awareness about dementia and challenge persistent stigma that continues to surround the condition. It also falls during the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia’s Community Week, September 20–26, held this year under the theme Connection Matters: Supporting People Affected by Dementia in Their Community
If you're concerned about changes in memory or thinking, or you're a family member looking for information and support, the Alzheimer Society encourages you to reach out instead of waiting. The sooner you reach out, the more we can help.
The Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia Dementia Helpline is available at 1-800-611-6345.