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Don’t put us at the bottom of the list for treatment just because of our diagnosis
“Don’t put us at the bottom of the list for treatment just because of our diagnosis.”

“Don’t put us at the bottom of the list for treatment just because of our diagnosis.”

When Mario Gregorio was diagnosed with dementia 12 years ago, he was determined to continue to live a full life as long as he could. As a volunteer for the Alzheimer Society of Canada, Mario, who lives in Burnaby, B.C., has educated thousands of people about the condition, and helped write the Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia in collaboration with the Society’s Advisory Group of people living with dementia. So, when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, and news…

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COVID-19: Tips for people with dementia, caregivers and families
*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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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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Older woman walking down path
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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Mother and daughter holding hands
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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Mother and daughter
MedicAlert® Safely Home® gives families living with dementia peace of mind

MedicAlert® Safely Home® gives families living with dementia peace of mind

It was a cold, rainy December morning in Vancouver when paramedics spotted a woman in wet clothes, looking out of place at a bus stop. Kathryn had been missing for 27 hours by then. Her daughter had dispatched a small army of friends to look for her after she failed to come home from her walk the previous morning. “It was brutal. I thought she was dead. The paramedics brought her to the hospital and they admitted her,” recalls her…

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How to enhance safety for people with dementia
Enhancing safety for people with dementia

Enhancing safety for people with dementia

Imagine if someone you love goes missing. The worry can be agonizing. When the person has dementia, it takes it up a notch or two. That’s why MedicAlert Foundation Canada partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Canada in 2013 to help people living with dementia who are at risk of getting lost. MedicAlert’s service—along with its well-recognized engraved bracelet—was launched in 1961 to help emergency responders treat people quickly and effectively when they couldn’t speak for themselves. .

Finding Your Way through the winter season: tips for staying safe with dementia

Finding Your Way through the winter season: tips for staying safe with dementia

Winter is on its way, bringing with it snow, sleigh bells, and a renewed importance around being safe in our homes and communities. To prepare, we’re putting snow tires on our cars, pulling winter boots out of storage, and stocking up on salt for our sidewalks and driveways – but for people with dementia, those safety steps go a bit further. If you’re living with dementia or helping to care for someone with dementia, here are some important factors to…

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