National Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Act

Bills that amended this Act0

No published amendment links yet for this Act.

Sections24

• 1Short title

  This Act may be cited as the National Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Act.

• 2Definition of Minister

  In this Act, Minister means the Minister of Health.

• 3National strategy
• 3(1)

  The Minister or delegated officials, in cooperation with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments responsible for public health, must develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to address all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that includes, among other things,

• 3(1)(a)

  developing specific national objectives in order to improve the situation of persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and decrease the burden of those diseases on Canadian society;

• 3(1)(b)

  encouraging greater investment in all areas of research related to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and in particular the areas of biomedical and clinical research as well as research relating to health systems, health services and population health;

• 3(1)(c)

  coordinating with international bodies in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia globally and building on Canada’s existing contributions in this field;

• 3(1)(d)

  assisting the provinces in developing and disseminating emerging clinical diagnostic and treatment guidelines based on new research;

• 3(1)(e)

  assisting the provinces in assessing and disseminating best practices for improving the quality of life of people suffering from dementia and their caregivers, including greater integration of care, chronic disease prevention and management as well as coordination of community support and care aimed at minimizing familial impacts;

• 3(1)(f)

  assisting the provinces in developing and disseminating information, to health care professionals as well as to the general public, on the importance of prevention and management of and early intervention in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia; and

• 3(1)(g)

  making recommendations in respect of the development of national guidelines for standards of dementia care that are founded on evidence-based best practices in care delivery and daily programming focused on the needs of the persons suffering from those diseases.

• 3(2)Conference

  The Minister must, within 180 days after the day on which this Act comes into force, convene a conference with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments responsible for public health, basic and clinical researchers, family caregivers, health care professionals and other care providers, people suffering from dementia as well as representatives from the lay advocacy sector, the Alzheimer Society of Canada, other Alzheimer advocacy groups, and other dementia advocacy groups, for the purpose of developing the national strategy referred to in subsection (1).

• 4Appointment of members
• 4(1)

  The Minister must establish an advisory board and appoint no more than 15 members to hold office during pleasure for a term not exceeding three years, which term may be renewed for one or more further terms.

• 4(2)Chairperson

  The Minister must appoint one of the members as Chairperson of the advisory board.

• 4(3)Role of advisory board

  The board is to advise the Minister on any matter related to the health care of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

• 4(4)Representation

  The Minister may appoint any person with relevant knowledge or expertise to the advisory board, including

• 4(4)(a)

  representatives from the federal, provincial and territorial governments responsible for public health;

• 4(4)(b)

  representatives from Alzheimer advocacy groups and other dementia advocacy groups;

• 4(4)(c)

  health care professionals; and

• 4(4)(d)

  people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia or their caregivers.

• 4(5)No remuneration

  No member of the advisory board is to receive remuneration for the performance of their duties.

• 4(6)Meetings

  Meetings of the advisory board must be held at least twice annually, at times and places to be determined by the Chairperson.

• 5Minister to report

  Within two years of the coming into force of this Act, and every year after that, the Minister must prepare a report on the effectiveness of the national strategy, setting out his or her conclusions and recommendations regarding the strategy, including which national objectives should be given priority, and cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is completed.