Cowell Auto Group is helping ensure support for families affected by dementia.

This month, as the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s is held across Canada and here in B.C., there is a movement of people committed to ensuring that Alzheimer Societies across the country can continue to support Canadians affected by dementia. Cowell Auto Group has been a long-time event sponsor – and has been supporting the Alzheimer Society of B.C. for 17 years.

We connected with Rand and Ryan Cowell to hear more about Cowell Auto Group’s connection to our cause.

Why did your organization choose to support the Alzheimer Society of B.C.?

Our ownership group has had first-hand experience with the physical, emotional and financial impact of a family member living with Alzheimer’s disease. We quickly realized that we were not alone on this journey as this disease affects almost 750,000 Canadians, plus their families and caregivers. Our family-owned business has thrived in our community for over 50 years and we felt that it was part of our responsibility to give back. Supporting the Alzheimer Society of B.C. in their mission to ensure that people affected by dementia are not alone was simply the right thing to do.

How does dementia affect people connected to your organization?

We have numerous team members within the Cowell Auto Group who have and extend care to someone in their family who battles dementia. We can create a meaningful difference in their lives by providing them with an experience that respects their individual needs; saving valuable time and reducing stress in their workplace to allow them to focus on what is important for their family.

What would you say to others in the business community considering putting their support behind IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s or other Society events?

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. offers a plethora of valuable programs and support, many of which our own family has directly benefitted from. We have supported the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s for 17 years because we want to do our part in ensuring there is enough funding to support these programs for the ever-growing number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease. We challenge other businesses to do likewise.

Do your employees have experience with the dementia journey and if so, what does support look like for your organization?

Our foundational purpose is to create a meaningful difference in people’s lives and this starts with our own team. Flexibility is the most important thing we provide in supporting those team members who have someone in their family living with dementia. We understand there are many challenges to their situation and that they can change daily. Moreover, we offer paid personal days to help financially and an employee assistance program to get access to counselling support if needed.

Do you have personal experience with the dementia journey?

We have a few people in our family and extended family who are living with dementia. Kathe Cowell, our founder’s wife, was recognized in the 2003 Walk for Memories (the precursor to the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s) and was diagnosed with the disease when she was only 55 years of age.