With more than 35 million people worldwide living with Alzheimers disease or a related dementia, the search for answers has never been more critical.

With this in mind, the very best minds in dementia research and care, both in Canada and abroad, will converge on Toronto today at the 5th Canadian Conference on Dementia to share the very latest developments in the field.

“Dementia is a rapidly growing issue for Canadians, an issue that needs immediate attention if we are to mitigate the impact of this illness on our health and social systems,” says Dr. Ron Keren, Conference Chair. “The Canadian Conference on Dementia is an opportunity for the international community of experts to come together and share critical information on the latest in research and care.”

The conference will open with two keynote presentations by Dr. Margaret Lock (McGill University) and Dr. Mary Ganguli (University of Pittsburgh), followed by the presentation of Im Still Here, a powerful researchbased play illustrating the perspective of persons living with dementia and their family partners in care.

The conference will also feature sessions on risk factors, diagnosis, treatments, quality of life, caregiving and the need for a national dementia strategy. This diverse program will explore the challenges of dementia, address the issues facing people with the illness, and present ways to help change the future of the disease.

The Canadian Conference on Dementia will take place October 1 to 3 at the Westin Harbor Castle Hotel in Toronto. To see the full schedule of speakers and topics, please visit ccd2009.ca.

Canadian Conference on Dementia