Canada Posts Archives | Page 5 of 15 | Alzheimer Society Blog

MedicAlert® Safely Home® gives families living with dementia peace of mind

June 12, 2018

It was a cold, rainy December morning in Vancouver when paramedics spotted a woman in wet clothes, looking out of place at a bus stop. Kathryn had been missing for 27 hours by then. Her daughter had dispatched a small army of friends to look for her after she failed to come home from her walk the previous morning. “It was brutal. I thought she was dead. The paramedics brought her to the hospital and they admitted her,” recalls her…

Enhancing safety for people with dementia

June 5, 2018

Imagine if someone you love goes missing. The worry can be agonizing. When the person has dementia, it takes it up a notch or two. That’s why MedicAlert Foundation Canada partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Canada in 2013 to help people living with dementia who are at risk of getting lost. MedicAlert’s service—along with its well-recognized engraved bracelet—was launched in 1961 to help emergency responders treat people quickly and effectively when they couldn’t speak for themselves. .

Leave a Legacy Month - Five ways to give back

Leave a Legacy: Five easy ways to give back

May 17, 2018

Among the many ways to give back to society, donating is one of the simplest and easiest. However, you may find yourself hesitant to donate. Perhaps you believe that your donation won’t make an impact, or that you simply cannot afford to give back at this time in your life. Rest assured, this isn’t true…

Mother’s Day 2018: Why Jane Kennedy appreciates her mother

May 7, 2018

“Your mom is so strong.” These were the words I often heard people say to describe my mom. I never really understood what they meant while I was growing up, being the youngest of six children. Why was my mom this strong person everyone kept referring to?

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).

Overlapping silhouettes of Hands in a watercolour texture.

National Volunteer Week: Why Louise chooses to volunteer

April 16, 2018

Thanks to my mother, I learned the values of being a volunteer at a young age. She set up a soup kitchen at my elementary school, ensuring that my classmates coming to school without lunch wouldn’t go hungry. When my brother and sister and I joined the Cubs, Brownies, and Girl Guides, my mother volunteered as a leader. She canvassed for various charities. She was always quick to help whenever someone asked.

National Carers Day 2018: Naomi’s five keys to caregiving

April 3, 2018

I have come to realize five key things about caregiving. These steps have helped my mother, have helped me, and have helped make this year better than the last. Now, I would like to share them with you.

Meet our Researchers: Debra Sheets, University of Victoria

March 27, 2018

For people with dementia and their caregivers, it can be difficult to find activities that strike the right balance between being supportive, being socially appropriate and, of course, being fun. As the disease progresses and abilities change, it’s common for friends to withdraw and activities to start to fall away. A person is left with few things that can offer joy, a sense of purpose and human connection. I’ve seen this firsthand—my father had dementia for 18 years. As it…

“SMILE” – Helping dementia caregivers

March 19, 2018

Dr. Christopher Frank, of Kingston, Ontario, particularly appreciates the caregiver’s role—after all, he focuses on areas where caregivers provide crucial help, such as geriatric rehabilitation, acute care consultation and palliative care. In this guest blog, Dr. Frank shares five pieces of inspirational advice from one of his patient’s relatives, a caregiver herself.

Brain Awareness Week: Mario’s three keys to living well

March 12, 2018

Mario Gregorio resides in British Columbia. He lives with dementia. An advocate for dementia awareness, Mario was one of the faces of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this past January. I’m celebrating my 70th birthday this year. The best decision I’ve ever made in my life was to seek an early diagnosis. I felt that I needed to take control of my medical situation. And I’m glad I did. An early diagnosis allowed me to research more about dementia. I knew that…