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Tag: dementia

Keith Barrett: People CAN live well with dementia.
Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Keith Barrett

Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Keith Barrett

Keith Barrett, 59, lives in Ottawa, Ontario with his wife Robin. For over 20 years, Keith has co-owned a business supporting adults and children with developmental and physical disabilities. He continues to work full-time. Keith was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in December 2016. The news was that I had young onset dementia (YOD)—specifically, Alzheimer’s—was difficult news to hear and I couldn’t believe it. I was retested in the spring of 2018 as I did not present as having young onset,…

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Jane Kennedy: Please don't ever feel alone.
Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Jane Kennedy

Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Jane Kennedy

Jane Kennedy lives in Newmarket, Ontario, where she works as a teacher. She is also a caregiver to her mom, Eileen, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. My mom was officially diagnosed at age 84. However, there were signs already of dementia for some time. The diagnosis didn’t come as a complete surprise because my grandmother had it and I was already seeing some early signs with my mom. I would say though that I also experienced some…

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Ron Robert: My message is one of hope.
Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Ron Robert

Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand: Ron Robert

Ron Robert, 81, lives in London, Ontario. Highly interested in politics, Ron worked as a journalist for two decades covering the British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan provincial legislatures before working the western desk for then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Ron was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015. My family and I are very familiar with Alzheimer’s—so my diagnosis, while upsetting, was not a complete surprise. I have two siblings who were also diagnosed with the disease. Even though there is a…

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Visiting someone with dementia over the holidays? Here are 10 tips
Visiting someone with dementia over the holidays? Here are 10 tips

Visiting someone with dementia over the holidays? Here are 10 tips

Now that the holidays are here, you may be circling some dates in your calendar for visits with friends and family. As the song goes, it’s the most wonderful time of year. Although, after gift buying, party planning and more, it can certainly feel like it’s the most stressful! It can feel even more trying for a person living with dementia. Common features of a holiday gathering—large groups of people, a quick pace and loud, frequent noises—can leave someone with…

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Gift ideas for people with dementia
Gift ideas for people with dementia

Gift ideas for people with dementia

The holiday season is upon us, and many of us are on the hunt for the perfect gifts for the special people in our lives. If someone on your list has dementia, it can be challenging to think of gifts that are appropriate given the person’s changing abilities. But no matter the stage of the disease, the right gift exists that can bring them joy and support their quality of life. While you’re making your list and checking it twice,…

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Meet our Researchers: Lillian Hung, RN, PhD, Simon Fraser University
Meet our Researchers: Lillian Hung, Simon Fraser University

Meet our Researchers: Lillian Hung, Simon Fraser University

As Canada’s population ages and more people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, hospitals are seeing a growing number of acute care visits by people with dementia. The reason for their stay may not directly relate to their dementia. For example, they may have heart disease, they may have broken bones after a fall or they are feeling depressed. However, a stay in the hospital can be a stressful if not frightening experience for anyone, and…

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An image of legs walking through snow.
Falls and Dementia: What You Need to Know

Falls and Dementia: What You Need to Know

 As the weather gets colder and the ground freezes over, we all start to feel a little unsteady in our footing. But for people living with dementia, the fear of falling can be more than an occasional thought in the wintertime. November is Fall Prevention Month, and we want to discuss why, for older adults and people living with dementia, falls are an everyday worry. In fact, falls can be dangerous, if not deadly. The concern of falling isn’t one…

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What does the Charter mean to Roger?
What does the Charter mean to Roger?

What does the Charter mean to Roger?

Roger Marple resides in Alberta. He lives with dementia. Roger, an advocate for dementia awareness, is a member of the Advisory Group that created the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. He was also one of the faces of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this past January. Read what Roger thinks about the Charter below: Our Constitution is the supreme law of Canada. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a part of that constitution, thus making it the most…

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What does the Charter mean to Mario?
What does the Charter mean to Mario?

What does the Charter mean to Mario?

Mario Gregorio resides in British Columbia. He lives with dementia. An advocate for dementia awareness, Mario is a member of the Alzheimer Society’s Advisory Group that created the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. Mario was one of the many faces of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this past January. Read what Mario thinks about the Charter below: After hearing the neurologist tell me that I had vascular dementia and possibly Alzheimer’s, my hopes and dreams of traveling crashed. The…

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What does the Charter mean to Marilyn?
What does the Charter mean to Marilyn?

What does the Charter mean to Marilyn?

Marilyn Taylor lives with Alzheimer’s disease. She’s a member of the Alzheimer Society’s Advisory Group that created the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. Marilyn grew up in Alberta where she worked in the oil and gas industry for 20 years. After her mother was diagnosed with cancer, she moved to Nova Scotia to take care of her. A mom, stepmom, grandma, and great-grandma, Marilyn enjoys living independently with her dog and cat who insist on going out…

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