Alzheimer Society Blog

The world is always beckoning for us to leave the comfort and safety of home, whether it’s to visit friends, family or see a new place. For those with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers, this need is no different, although it comes with challenges. Susan Bithrey was one caregiver who travelled a lot with her husband Reg, even after he was diagnosed with dementia.  Although they loved living in Thunder Bay, they had many reasons to leave: family in Alberta…

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Do you remember the wonder you felt as a child creating your first work of art? It could have been the gooey touch of finger paint or the surprise of creating something out of nothing after pasting a collage. Many lose those feelings over time. That’s why it is so wonderful to hear about the success of the Gather at the Gallery program at the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo. The program allows persons living with dementia to rediscover a love…

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Keith Harvey was a typical carefree husband. His wife Mary gave up her career when they got married and looked after the household chores. Keith’s role was to make ‘important decisions.’   He quotes Gordie Howe to put what this meant in perspective: “I was in charge of making all the important decisions, but I haven’t made one this whole time.” But Keith’s arrangement changed drastically in 2007. “I began to notice something was wrong with Mary,” he says. “At first,…

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I started out working on multiple sclerosis in Boston in the eighties, but then things began exploding in the Alzheimer’s field and I couldn’t resist changing directions. Harvard Medical School was one of the key places where people were working on Alzheimer’s and the excitement was infectious. The amyloid precursor protein gene had just been cloned and that helped us begin to understand how the disease works. Those were heady days of people thinking they could cure Alzheimer’s in a…

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My mom’s 86th birthday was May 8th. She has Alzheimer’s disease and lives in a long term care home in Brampton.  My dad will be 90 soon and lives across the parking lot from my mom in a retirement building.  He is a proud veteran and doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve.   What transpired that day brought tears to my eyes. This message was forwarded to me from the Director of Resident and Family Services where my mom lives: “Just…

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May 14 – 20 is National Road Safety Week, and now that we are finally seeing a glimpse of spring, it’s a good time to reflect on our own driving habits so that we can be sure that we are all safe on the road.

For people living with dementia, knowing when it’s time to stop driving is difficult. Driving represents freedom and independence and it is not something that anyone wants to give up. Many people in the early stages of dementia can continue to drive safely and competently; however, because dementia is a progressive condition, it can be a challenge to know when to hang up the keys. Here are a few of the warning signs to look for.

The Victoria Day long weekend is an important date in the calendar of any gardener. When I worked in a gardening centre, I saw the crowds stream in to search for old favourites or something different as the weather became warm enough to allow summer annuals to survive outside. Just like everyone else, people with dementia who have enjoyed gardening throughout their lives will continue to enjoy the activity.  Just like everyone else, they experience many benefits from it, including…

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A few weeks ago I was on my way home from an Alzheimer Society Board meeting about 8 pm. I was driving north on the Don Valley Parkway, a six-lane highway in Toronto.  As I drove, I saw an elderly man driving a scooter on the southbound shoulder.  I thought that it was a pretty foolish thing to be doing.  Clearly, he should not have been on the shoulder of the DVP at dusk. I was already well past him when…

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Women are awesome. I’m not just saying that because I’m a woman; it happens to be true. Without women, where would our culture be? Really. We women bring new life into the world, through an often very painful and long process, and then we give that new life comfort, love, security, and all the makings for a great human being.