Quebec’s aging population demands move to new model of brain care

Quebec is undergoing a profound demographic shift. By 2071, the number of Quebecers aged 85 and over could nearly triple compared to 2021. As our population ages, the incidence of Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions is rising sharply. Quebecers should be able to rely on neurological care that is accessible, integrated and built around patients’ needs.

Without action, the growing burden of neurological disease will place even greater pressure on patients, families and an already strained health-care system.

The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) has long been at the heart of neurological care in Quebec. For nearly a century it has brought together highly specialized clinical care and leading research under one roof. Its clinicians, researchers and staff are first‑rate. Nearly half of the patients treated at the Neuro come from outside Montreal, underscoring its critical role in providing specialized care to people across Quebec.

But services have outgrown the physical space: care is delivered in cramped, aging facilities, and the building’s University St. location can make access difficult for patients with mobility challenges or those who rely on public transit.

The consequences go well beyond the building itself. Many people living with neurological disease often need highly specialized services spread across multiple sites. For elderly patients living with cognitive or mobility challenges, being transported between buildings can be stressful, disorienting and inefficient — for patients, families and caregivers alike.

Fragmented care also puts added strain on health‑care professionals and the system as a whole.

These constraints make it harder to deliver the kind of neurological care patients now need. Today’s neurological conditions are increasingly complex and often require close collaboration among clinicians, researchers and highly specialized teams.

Delivering truly integrated, patient‑centred care — the standard Quebecers should expect in the 21st century — is difficult in infrastructure designed for a very different era of medicine.

The solution is clear: integrating the Neuro with the McGill University Health Centre’s (MUHC) Glen site.

A modern facility physically connected to the MUHC would allow specialized clinical teams to work together in one location, reducing patient transfers and improving co-ordination, safety and efficiency. Purpose‑built, accessible spaces designed around patients’ needs would better support contemporary neurological care and significantly improve the experience of patients and families.

This vision is being actively developed in collaboration with key partners, including Santé Québec, with the goal of ensuring it aligns with provincial priorities and delivers maximum value for patients. We are advancing a phased approach that prioritizes patient care with strong oversight and responsible use of public funds.

Phase 1 focuses on relocating essential hospital services to a new Neuro facility at the Glen site. Phase 2 would bring research, teaching and outpatient services into the same integrated environment. Taking this phased approach allows care to continue without disruption, while directing resources where they will have the greatest impact.

Beyond improving care today, a modernized Neuro would strengthen Quebec’s leadership in neuroscience, one of the fastest-growing research sectors, at the intersection of personalized medicine, artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

History shows what is possible when care and discovery are integrated. The Neuro’s founder, Dr. Wilder Penfield, pioneered surgical approaches to epilepsy that are still used worldwide. More recently, advances in multiple sclerosis treatment and artificial‑intelligence enabled tools that assist in detecting brain cancer cells have been developed with the help of scientists at the Neuro, improving patient outcomes and life expectancy.

Integrating the Neuro at the Glen site is not simply about replacing an aging building. It is about preparing Quebec’s health‑care system for the coming wave of age‑related neurological disease. It means creating a modern environment for care and research — one that improves co-ordination and efficiency, supports clinicians and researchers with emerging tools, including artificial intelligence, and strengthens brain health in Quebec for decades to come.

Dr. Guy Rouleau is director of the Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital).

The post Quebec’s aging population demands move to new model of brain care appeared first on Montreal Gazette.