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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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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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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?

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?

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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What does the Charter mean to Jim?

What does the Charter mean to Jim?

Jim Mann resides in British Columbia. He lives with dementia. Jim is a member of the Alzheimer Society’s Advisory Group who created the Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. He is also on the Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia, which will advise on the development of Canada’s first national dementia strategy. Read what Jim thinks about the Charter below: The phrase “actions speak louder than words” was given credence with the development of the Canadian Charter of Rights for…

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Meet our Researchers: Tamara Sussman, McGill University

Meet our Researchers: Tamara Sussman, McGill University

I have a long professional and personal history working with people living with dementia. My mother was a gerontological social worker who used to share some of the struggles people with dementia faced including feeling isolated, alone and misunderstood. Following in her footsteps, I too became a social worker for older adults and began to hear those stories firsthand. As I listened, it occurred to me that many of the challenges that persons with dementia faced were created by us…

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After a dementia diagnosis, an easy decision to help with care

After a dementia diagnosis, an easy decision to help with care

When Moira was diagnosed with young onset dementia at the age of 51, she and her family had some difficult decisions to make. She had to take early retirement from her job as a high school math teacher in Brampton, Ontario, designate her oldest daughter and husband as primary caregivers, and enrol in a day program for people with dementia while her family is at work. But there was at least one easy decision: joining the MedicAlert® Safely Home® program,…

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Meet our Researchers: Simon Duchesne, Université Laval

Meet our Researchers: Simon Duchesne, Université Laval

As a biomedical engineer, I don’t have your typical background for someone researching Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In fact, if you had told me 18 years ago that dementia would be my main field of research, I’d be surprised. Back then, I was most interested in diagnostic radiology—the field of medicine that uses imaging exams to aid in diagnosis—for the planning of epilepsy surgery.

Father’s Day 2018: What Dan learned from his Dad

Father’s Day 2018: What Dan learned from his Dad

It’s been four years since my dad, Denis, passed away after living with dementia for 11 years. My family and I did everything to make sure Dad enjoyed life, first during the early stages, and later when he lived in a care home. My experiences with my father inspired me to help others learn to appreciate quality time with a family member with dementia.