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…
There are many ways you can be a friend to people with dementia in your community, whether it’s in conversation or looking out for someone’s safety. Check out these 5 tips, then visit www.dementiafriends.ca to become a Dementia Friend. 1) Communicate clearly Speak clearly and use short, simple sentences. Be sure not to speak too quickly or raise your voice. Remember that a person with dementia may not understand what you’re doing or remember what you’ve said. Be respectful and…
Elizabeth Barrie is a First Link® outreach worker for the Alzheimer Society of Oxford. She shares her personal connection to the disease. What is your connection to Alzheimer’s disease? My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when I was parenting three young daughters. I had to juggle the expectations of motherhood with the demands of supporting my parents as they navigated the uncharted waters of dementia. Never one to complain or dwell on the negative, Mom continued to participate actively…
Dementia Friends Canada is an Alzheimer Society and Government of Canada initiative to help Canadians better understand what it’s like to live with dementia and how they can help those with the disease remain active and carry on with their daily lives.
Beth Haas, Behavioural Support Worker for the Alzheimer Society of Oxford, shares her connection to Alzheimer’s disease. Can you share what your personal connection to Alzheimer’s disease has been? First it was my grandmother who had Alzheimer’s disease. It was still called senility in the 1970s. At an early age, I had to travel every other weekend to support her as she struggled to remain in the farmhouse where she had spent all of her married life. And then, years…
“Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.” -Plato The Event The annual Dine and Dance is a fun and elegant event hosted by the Alzheimer Society of Toronto. Held at the St. Lawrence Hall, this social event provides a space for people in the early stages of dementia and their family caregivers to dance and enjoy an afternoon together. Amanda Schmukler, Senior Social Worker at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto is…
Last summer, I was sitting with friends on a balcony facing the entrance to a Toronto subway station. We watched as an older woman walked back and forth across the street next to the subway station. She seemed confused, walking against the light, and in pain. Alarmed, we went down to the street to see if we could help. After speaking with her for a minute or so, I was sure she had some kind of dementia. Although she knew…
The end of the year is upon us, with only 2 days left to donate to the Alzheimer Society and receive a 2013 tax receipt. Because of generous supporters across the country, we are able to search every day for a cure for dementia and support those affected by this disease.