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The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (1994) reports a total of 31.4% of seniors with dementia (an estimated 37,000 Canadians) are living alone and potentially at risk.

Within the Halton region, there are an estimated 50,500 seniors aged 65 and greater, with approximately 4,500 with dementia and 1,400 of these individuals living alone.

Hopkins & Hopkins, 2002

Reportedly, this trend will continue to increase over the next 10–20 years.

The Alzheimer Association (USA, 2001) reports that persons with dementia who live alone represent a broad array of individuals who fall into three general categories along a continuum:

  1. living alone but receive support from relatives living nearby;
  2. living alone with support from “long-distance” caregivers—usually adult children or siblings;
  3. living alone, have no close family or community support to provide monitoring or assistance—this tends to be the most vulnerable group.

It is our hope that this website will help both service providers and other local stakeholders to develop an action plan related to persons living alone with dementia in the Halton area.