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Tag: living with dementia

*UPDATED* Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tips for people with dementia, caregivers and families

*UPDATED* Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tips for people with dementia, caregivers and families

***** Read our COVID-19 statement. ***** Right now, COVID-19 is proving to be particularly challenging for people living with dementia, caregivers and families: For people with dementia who live alone, you are likely finding that social distancing, self-isolation and other changes are upending your daily routine which is important for living well with dementia and maintaining your independence. For caregivers, these changes can lead to increased feelings of stress, anxiety and confusion for both you and the person you care…

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“Let us help you understand.” Learn how Canadians living with dementia are shining light on the stigma they face.

“Let us help you understand.” Learn how Canadians living with dementia are shining light on the stigma they face.

Everyone’s experience with dementia is unique – whether they are someone who has dementia, a caregiver or a family member of someone who is diagnosed. Each person has their own unique story to tell, even as they battle the stigma that faces them as someone living with dementia.  With January being Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Canada, the Alzheimer Society would like you to meet some of these people, and hear their stories. Read on to understand how Canadians living with…

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What Canadians are saying: Why does a fully-funded national dementia strategy matter?

What Canadians are saying: Why does a fully-funded national dementia strategy matter?

Though the national dementia strategy has been announced, more work needs to be done. Not only does the strategy need to be fully funded, we also must ensure that it remains a top issue in Ottawa throughout and beyond the federal election in October. We asked people living with dementia, caregivers and researchers for their thoughts on why a fully-funded national dementia strategy matters. Here’s what they have to say: It will foster a network of support for people with…

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How MedicAlert® Safely Home® boosts independence for those with dementia

How MedicAlert® Safely Home® boosts independence for those with dementia

Betty and her daughter Eileen have worked side by side at their rural Ontario bakery for 30 years, singing and dancing as they knead dough and glaze cinnamon rolls. When Betty, 81, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease seven years ago, her daughter knew the best treatment for her mom was to keep working. “Like everyone, people with Alzheimer’s want to be productive, and boy do we have that covered,” says Eileen. Her mom cuts granola bars by the hundreds –…

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“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (part three)

“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (part three)

Previously in our series on human rights and dementia, we looked at how past experiences inspired Phyllis Fehr to advocate for dementia rights (Part one: Becoming a force for change—Phyllis Fehr’s story). Then, Phyllis showed us how seven articles in the United Nations’ Convention of Human Rights can improve the quality of life for Canadians living with dementia right now (Part two: Understanding dementia from a human rights’ perspective).

“People living with Alzheimer’s disease are still people”

“People living with Alzheimer’s disease are still people”

Two Alzheimer’s diagnoses, decades apart, show how much has changed—and how much stays the same—when a family navigates dementia. Sharon and her mother, Esther, were very close. “My mother and I used to talk three times each day. One of the first signs that my mother might have dementia was when I noticed she would forget to call me.” The warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease were well-known to Sharon; it wasn’t the first time that her family had received the…

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Caregiver tips for the holidays

Caregiver tips for the holidays

The leaves are changing, the days are feeling frosty, and decorations are making their way across homes and storefronts. Though the holiday season is enjoyable for many, it can be a stressful time for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease. Here are some tips that can help make the holidays more enjoyable—for everyone.
A journey through dementia: Savouring the gifts

A journey through dementia: Savouring the gifts

by Elaine MacLachlan My mother died of Parkinson’s disease and dementia two weeks before her 88th birthday.  That was over 5 years ago.  It was a long and often difficult journey.  Looking back now, instead of regret and sadness, I choose to remember the gifts she gave me during that time. And, there were many.  Those are the things I cherish. Her health started to decline around the age of 80 when she fell down the stairs fracturing her pelvis….

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Boost your brain with Minds in Motion®

Boost your brain with Minds in Motion®

We all know that a healthy lifestyle is important for reducing our risk of dementia and many other chronic diseases. But did you know that it’s equally important for people who already have a diagnosis of dementia? Research shows that lifestyle choices such as healthy eating, staying social, challenging your brain and being physically active can improve quality of life, may help to slow the progression of the disease and can improve your capacity to cope with some of the…

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Life with young onset dementia: What you need to know

Life with young onset dementia: What you need to know

What comes to mind when you think of a person with dementia? If you’re like most people, you picture an elderly person in the later stages of the disease. But here’s the thing: dementia doesn’t just happen to older people. While age is still the biggest risk factor, people in their 50s, 40s and even 30s can also develop dementia. We call this young onset dementia and it accounts for about 2-8% of all dementia cases. Right now, 16,000 Canadians…

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