Dismiss me not – embracing meaningful activities

Dismiss me not – embracing meaningful activities

Two things, it is said, are constant and unyielding in an unpredictable world: death and taxes. To this short list, I would add washing clothes, ironing, and making supper. You may be snickering about the addition of “ironing” in a world inundated with synthetics and permanent press. However, as mom’s dementia advanced, this became the predictable response every time I asked about her day’s activities. It wasn’t that she was spinning a tale to allay my concerns, but rather she…

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A disease does not define me: opening doors to possibilities

A disease does not define me: opening doors to possibilities

My family is no stranger to Alzheimer’s disease. I cannot remember a time in my childhood when elders in my life were not living with dementia. We did not question these losses because this was our “normal.” We now know that evolving memory changes, with subsequent losses, are not a normal outcome of aging. One difficulty with mom’s diagnosis of dementia was that each sibling saw her changes in a different way, and chose to either accept or refute the…

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Absence of words does not mean lack of presence

Absence of words does not mean lack of presence

When one is accustomed to continuous chatter, the hollow sound of silence becomes deafening… We were always a family of conversationalists. I think this was a refined way of saying we talked a lot. To become a true part of the inner family circle, it was important to be engaged in more than one conversation at a time, and to change topics with fluidity. I believe the prospect of silence was uncomfortable for us, and we compensated by talking loudly…

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Alzheimer’s silver lining

Alzheimer’s silver lining

They say growing old is not for sissies, well Alzheimer’s disease is definitely not for sissies. As my lovely mother Anne loves to say, ‘every cloud has a silver lining.’ So I search for the silver lining in my mother’s disease.  Sometimes I have to think and look really hard, but I see it. First, some background and mea culpa. I often find myself talking about my mom in the past tense even while she’s with me. “She had a…

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Alzheimer Society of Ontario receives accreditation!

Alzheimer Society of Ontario receives accreditation!

Hello supporters, I’m excited to share some great news with you! Late last year, staff at the Alzheimer Society of Ontario voluntarily put our key processes, services and strategies through a rigorous assessment by Accreditation Canada. We were evaluated in all aspects of being both a health-care organization and a non-profit. And we have just heard that we have received a full four-year Accreditation! This is a great accomplishment for our organization and demonstrates to you our commitment to being…

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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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