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Category: Ontario Posts

Minds in Motion
Minds in Motion® boosts brain health

Minds in Motion® boosts brain health

At the Alzheimer Society of London-Middlesex we have many social recreation programs such as art, gardening, cooking, knitting, and scrapbooking. But before Minds in Motion®, we did not have one that focused on group exercise and healthy living. This has been a great addition. Since we started Minds in Motion, people are seeing how exercise makes a huge difference for people with dementia. Just today I received a call from a client interested in the program. I had asked her…

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If you have a Will, you need to read this

If you have a Will, you need to read this

New Federal Estate Planning Legislation Make a Will Month (November) may be officially over, but this year we are still encouraging Ontarians to review their Estate plans because of new rules! On December 16, 2014, the Conservative government made amendments to the Income Tax Act, which impact the Will and estate planning process. Both amendments begin in 2016. Check your Will – you may need to take immediate action! Amendment – Charitable Gifts – Three year Graduated Rate Estate Right…

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Are dementia and head trauma linked?

Are dementia and head trauma linked?

Are dementia and head trauma linked? Substantial evidence exists linking moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) with increased dementia risk. The most recent estimates show people with a history of head trauma have greater odds, with estimates ranging 1.5 to 2 times more likely, of eventually being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, depression and other mood-related disorders, compared to those who have not experienced head trauma. When the head trauma is mild, it still contributes…

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Me? A Super Hero?

Me? A Super Hero?

Some of the biggest box-office hits in the past couple of years focus on Super Heroes…Batman, Captain America, Black Widow…. Super Heroes appear when the planet is under siege from evil and somehow, against all odds, save the day. It’s fun to fantasize about having a Super Hero in your own life to save the day. But here at the Alzheimer Society, we believe everyone has the potential to be a Super Hero, including YOU! But first, let me tell…

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Why I made my Will

Why I made my Will

A few months ago I was boarding an airplane to Mexico with my husband…without our daughter, who at the time was 10 months old. Until that point, I had not been away from my daughter for more than a few hours. I dreamed about sleeping in, but I cried at the thought of leaving her. I was also thinking about how my husband and I would be on the plane together. Should something terrible happen, I had nothing written down…

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Planning for incapacity – what you need to know

Planning for incapacity – what you need to know

If you can’t decide, who will decide for you? One in 10 Ontarians over the age of 65 will develop Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, yet less than 1/3 of Canadians have made legal arrangements to ensure their care. The Alzheimer Society of Ontario has partnered with the Ontario Bar Association to promote Make a Will Month in November, encouraging Ontarians to make a will now so they can rest assured later. Planning for incapacity is like purchasing insurance. It…

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If my mother had Alzheimer’s, should I go for testing?

If my mother had Alzheimer’s, should I go for testing?

This is a difficult question because while it is known that Alzheimer’s disease is highly inheritable, meaning that it can cluster in families, there are only a few gene abnormalities that definitively cause the disease (i.e., if you inherit it, it will be almost certain that you will get the disease). These are mutations in genes called Amyloid Precursor Protein, Presenilin 1 and Presenilin 2, with Presenilin 1 mutations being the most frequent. While these are important genes implicated in…

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What do you want YOUR legacy to be?

What do you want YOUR legacy to be?

For those of us working for a charity, the word “legacy” means a thoughtful charitable gift, a gift left in your Will. But there could be another meaning: how did you show up in the world? In other words, aside from the dollars distributed from your estate, how do you want to be remembered? What do you want YOUR legacy to be? How do you show up in the world? Most of us strive to be the best possible person…

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What is Aphasia?

What is Aphasia?

Imagine trying to tell someone where you are hurt or how you feel, but you can’t find the words or phrases to get across what you are trying to say. How would this impact your relationships with friends and family and all the other aspects of life where communication is essential? This condition – when someone knows what he or she wants to say but cannot express it – is called aphasia. Aphasia is most often the result of stroke…

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My grandparents brain healthly lifestyle inspired me

My grandparents brain healthly lifestyle inspired me

I was in my late teens when I decided to move in with my grandparents. I thought it would be something new and they were aspiring vegans with a great vegetable garden. They lived in a retirement community and, being the youngest person to take residence there, I caused quite a stir. Nevertheless, I took over their spare room and immersed myself in the life of a retiree. They started every day with a smoothie, full of healthy fats, fruits…

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