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Tag: stigma

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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“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.

“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 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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What does the Charter mean to Jim?
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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Phyllis Fehr at the United Nations
“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (Part two)

“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (Part two)

When we last left Phyllis Fehr, we heard about how her experiences inspired her to take on her current role as a leading advocate for human rights for people with dementia. (If you haven’t yet, check out part one of this series, Becoming a force for change—Phyllis Fehr’s story.) One of Phyllis’ current focuses is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an international human rights treaty that was adopted by the United Nations almost a decade ago….

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Let’s talk about dementia, mental illness and mental health

Let’s talk about dementia, mental illness and mental health

The last Wednesday of January is Bell Let’s Talk Day, an initiative to encourage conversations, increase awareness and end the stigma around mental illness. One aspect of the conversation that’s not often talked about is mental health among older adults and seniors, and how this intersects with dementia. So today, let’s talk about it. Here are five things you should know about dementia, mental illness and mental health: 1) Dementia caregivers experience higher rates of depression than all other caregivers….

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Phyllis Fehr
“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (Part one)

“I am a person with dementia and a person with rights.” (Part one)

Part one: Becoming a force for change—Phyllis Fehr’s story This blog series is based on the webinar, “I am a person with dementia and a person with rights,” hosted by brainXchange and presented by Phyllis Fehr on December 13, 2017 (part one) and January 17, 2018 (part two). One day, Phyllis Fehr walked through the doors of a grocery store, and found confusion. Phyllis, who had been given a working diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s along with Lewy Body dementia at…

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Young onset dementia
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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