Science and Storytelling: Stigma of Dementia

Stigma of dementia is one of the greatest barriers for people living with dementia and their care partners. It can lead to low self-esteem, poor mental health, and a decreased quality of life. Research shows that older adults fear dementia more than cancer, stroke, and heart disease combined. Despite this knowledge, few studies focus on actions to improve understanding and reduce stigma of dementia. In this episode, Dr. Marc Viger sits down with podcast host Dr. Juanita-Dawne Bacsu to chat about stigma of dementia and discuss some key actions for challenging this issue and improving the quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners.  Guest:  Marc Viger, MD (Bio)—Family Physician and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.  Host:  Juanita-Dawne Bacsu, PhD (Bio)—Postdoctoral Fellow, Rural Dementia Action Research Team, University of Saskatchewan, and Research Associate, Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, University of Regina, Canada.  This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund: 75th Anniversary.