Gallery: HéHo! Let’s brave the cold By: Photography by John Woods / Free Press Posted: 7:55 PM CST Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025

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There are over 770,000 people in Canada today living with dementia. By 2030, that number could be more than a million — a “tsunami” of dementia cases, according to Hope for Dementia, a Canadian advocacy organization.

“Current trends in growth of the number of people affected by dementia present an unsustainable trajectory,” the organization states, adding the cost of dementia care will rise from $12 billion in 2020 to $16.6 billion by 2031.

For Canadian society as a whole, it’s going to be a huge challenge. But it’s also challenging for faith groups — especially those Christian denominations that have large numbers of older members. They will be on the frontline of the increase in the numbers of people with cognitive impairment.

How can they respond? One organization that can help is the Alzheimer Society, through its Dementia Friendly Communities program.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I didn’t know my wife was in the house when I was talking to my brother on the phone about her new bathing suit “which makes her look like a tank.”

She walked up behind me while I was on the phone and said loudly, “I guess you won’t want to be having sex with a tank at the lake then!” No amount of apologizing is getting me past this one, it seems.

The temperature is rather frosty in our bedroom, and we leave for the lake in two weeks. Should I invite her to criticize my imperfect body? I don’t want to do that, or I’ll never be able to sleep with her again. Please help!

— Big Mouth, East Kildonan

Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin has been cancelled.

The festival’s board announced the event, which was scheduled for July 31 to Aug. 2, would not proceed due to concerns about the closure of the Dauphin hospital due to flooding.

The Dauphin Regional Health Centre has been closed since early July after heavy rain flooded its basement. There is no timetable to reopen, Prairie Mountain Health has said.

“Emergency health-care services have been relocated to rural communities more than 30 minutes away, creating significant challenges in providing timely medical care for our large event,” the board said in a social media post Friday.