Alzheimer Society Blog

I started walking because of my family’s experiences with the ravages of disease. My Oma—grandmother in Dutch—was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when I was nineteen. Sadly she lived far away and we could not care for her. It brought me great pain that I was unable to provide the support, comfort and peace that she did for me when I was younger. Since I couldn’t do that for her, I began fundraising for the Walk as a way to provide comfort and support to others.

I’m learning to be grateful. I don’t just mean saying thank-you more or being more polite.

I am learning to embrace gratitude in every single aspect of my life.

It is no surprise, in this hectic, fast paced, technology-laced world; people are seeking lives of grateful simplicity. Blogs, magazines and books are celebrating the notion of living with less and actually “seeing” what and who we have – instead of walking right by. Authors like Ann Voskamp and Brene Brown’s books are making the New York Best Seller’s List.

Art communicates what words cannot. It reaches deep into the fibre of our beings, prodding our emotions and memories and forming them with a precision greater than language could ever hope. For people with dementia, some of whom have lost the ability to use words, art provides a much needed vehicle for self-expression.

It is sad that some of our veterans who took part in our nation’s greatest struggle now struggle to remember their role in history. Donald Lidster is one such veteran. He served in the Pacific theater during World War II and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. After giving so much to Canada, his wife now needs our help to find a lost wartime friend.

Residing in my Toronto urban bubble and surrounded by the offices of the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto and Canada, I often overlook one important reality. Toronto is not Ontario. There are 37 other chapters in the province, each doing excellent work to advance the state of Alzheimer’s care. I figure it is time to put their accomplishments into the spotlight.

With so much accomplished by Alzheimer’s Societies in Canada over the previous thirty years, it is easy to forget how far we have come. Sometimes, it takes the perspective of an outsider to remind us  how lucky we are. Last week the Alzheimer Society of Ontario was host to a special guest. Ivan Vnuk visited our offices in Toronto from Slovakia. He was mainly here to attend our First Link® conference to learn more about the program and how he could…

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Have you met someone who didn’t like music? If you’ve answered yes, I don’t believe you.  A love of music is hardwired into the human psyche. People with Alzheimer’s are no different.

As Hurricane Sandy approaches the eastern United States and Canada, many people are preparing for the worst. Emergencies like this hurricane happen when we least expect them, so it’s best to be prepared. Here are some ideas to help you prepare so that if someone with dementia is involved in an emergency, you can quickly respond.

Hi, my name is Maya Burhanpurkar and I’m a 13 year old, grade nine student. I’ve always been the scientific type. When I was a toddler, I refused to watch cartoons on TV and instead insisted on watching Bill Nye the Science Guy. And I always asked questions – how, why and why not.

It is strangely comforting to think that all of the stress and sleepless nights we gave our parents when we began driving will be repaid in kind. Remember how the keys represented a freedom well worth the dangers? And remember how upset we were if that was taken away? Now imagine asking your parents or grandparents to stop driving. Life really does come full circle.