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Jane Kennedy: Please don't ever feel alone.

Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Jane Kennedy

January 14, 2019

Jane Kennedy lives in Newmarket, Ontario, where she works as a teacher. She is also a caregiver to her mom, Eileen, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. My mom was officially diagnosed at age 84. However, there were signs already of dementia for some time. The diagnosis didn’t come as a complete surprise because my grandmother had it and I was already seeing some early signs with my mom. I would say though that I also experienced some…

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Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Ron Robert

January 7, 2019

Ron Robert, 81, lives in London, Ontario. Highly interested in politics, Ron worked as a journalist for two decades covering the British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan provincial legislatures before working the western desk for then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Ron was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015. My family and I are very familiar with Alzheimer’s—so my diagnosis, while upsetting, was not a complete surprise. I have two siblings who were also diagnosed with the disease. Even though there is a…

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What does the Charter mean to Roger?

September 26, 2018

Roger Marple resides in Alberta. He lives with dementia. Roger, an advocate for dementia awareness, is a member of the Advisory Group that created the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. He was also one of the faces of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this past January. Read what Roger thinks about the Charter below: Our Constitution is the supreme law of Canada. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a part of that constitution, thus making it the most…

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What does the Charter mean to Mario?

September 19, 2018

Mario Gregorio resides in British Columbia. He lives with dementia. An advocate for dementia awareness, Mario is a member of the Alzheimer Society’s Advisory Group that created the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. Mario was one of the many faces of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this past January. Read what Mario thinks about the Charter below: After hearing the neurologist tell me that I had vascular dementia and possibly Alzheimer’s, my hopes and dreams of traveling crashed. The…

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What does the Charter mean to Marilyn?

September 12, 2018

Marilyn Taylor lives with Alzheimer’s disease. She’s a member of the Alzheimer Society’s Advisory Group that created the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. Marilyn grew up in Alberta where she worked in the oil and gas industry for 20 years. After her mother was diagnosed with cancer, she moved to Nova Scotia to take care of her. A mom, stepmom, grandma, and great-grandma, Marilyn enjoys living independently with her dog and cat who insist on going out…

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What does the Charter mean to Jim?

September 5, 2018

Jim Mann resides in British Columbia. He lives with dementia. Jim is a member of the Alzheimer Society’s Advisory Group who created the Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. He is also on the Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia, which will advise on the development of Canada’s first national dementia strategy. Read what Jim thinks about the Charter below: The phrase “actions speak louder than words” was given credence with the development of the Canadian Charter of Rights for…

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Flag of Canada from window on sunset background

“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (part three)

April 30, 2018

Previously in our series on human rights and dementia, we looked at how past experiences inspired Phyllis Fehr to advocate for dementia rights (Part one: Becoming a force for change—Phyllis Fehr’s story). Then, Phyllis showed us how seven articles in the United Nations’ Convention of Human Rights can improve the quality of life for Canadians living with dementia right now (Part two: Understanding dementia from a human rights’ perspective).

“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (Part two)

March 7, 2018

When we last left Phyllis Fehr, we heard about how her experiences inspired her to take on her current role as a leading advocate for human rights for people with dementia. (If you haven’t yet, check out part one of this series, Becoming a force for change—Phyllis Fehr’s story.) One of Phyllis’ current focuses is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an international human rights treaty that was adopted by the United Nations almost a decade ago….

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Let’s talk about dementia, mental illness and mental health

January 31, 2018

The last Wednesday of January is Bell Let’s Talk Day, an initiative to encourage conversations, increase awareness and end the stigma around mental illness. One aspect of the conversation that’s not often talked about is mental health among older adults and seniors, and how this intersects with dementia. So today, let’s talk about it. Here are five things you should know about dementia, mental illness and mental health: 1) Dementia caregivers experience higher rates of depression than all other caregivers….

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“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (Part one)

January 25, 2018

Part one: Becoming a force for change—Phyllis Fehr’s story This blog series is based on the webinar, “I am a person with dementia and a person with rights,” hosted by brainXchange and presented by Phyllis Fehr on December 13, 2017 (part one) and January 17, 2018 (part two). One day, Phyllis Fehr walked through the doors of a grocery store, and found confusion. Phyllis, who had been given a working diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s along with Lewy Body dementia at…

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