Madeleine Honeyman dislikes being called a “senior,” even though last January 6 a century had elapsed since her birth. She doesn’t mind being old; she just dislikes the limits that labels impose. She was close to 70 when she was instrumental in the creation of the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa. The following year, Madeleine co-founded the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, and served as its first President.
Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is a lot like a job. It can wear you down. It can make you feel stressed or overwhelmed. Except while most of us get to punch out at the end of the day and go on vacation, caregivers do not. If not managed properly, caregiver stress can have serious consequences for your physical and mental health.
I walk because I am very involved with the Alzheimer Society and am committed to the cause. Both my mother and wife’s grandmother have been affected by dementia. I’m on the Board of Directors for the Ottawa Society and realize important the programs and information are for people with the disease and their caregivers. Research also needs to continue so that a cure can be found. These reasons keep me coming back. I know so many families that are affected by the disease and this number continues to grow. I want to help in whatever way I can.
When I started working at the Alzheimer Society of Ontario in the early 90’s, one of my duties was to “man” a rarely- visited information booth at provincial government offices for the Federated Health Campaign. The Alzheimer Society booth was always tucked away between AIDS and Arthritis. At that time, the public wasn’t very interested in Alzheimer’s disease. Most questions were about whether elderly relatives should be using aluminum pots or wearing deodorant. Others couldn’t even pronounce Alzheimer.
Is Alzheimer’s disease any different from cancer, a heart attack or any illness that can plague the human body? It is not. Yet despite all of the progress we’ve made in educating the public about Alzheimer’s disease, Canadians with the illness and their caregivers still feel that they cannot be open with others about it.
Dianne Loeppky is a five-year veteran of the Walk for Memories in Guelph, Ontario.
Music possesses a power beyond what words can describe, especially for people with dementia. Language is processed through just one centre of the brain but music’s unique qualities of pitch, rhythm and melody are processed by many different parts of the brain. Music therapy takes the power of music to explore what cannot be described by words.
When Alzheimer’s disease touches your life, we are here for you!
The holiday season can be a stressful time for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. The Alzheimer Society of Ontario has great tips to help. Above all, you need to keep your sense of humor. This is how our family got through what could have been the saddest Christmas with a lot of love and laughter.
