About us
The Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to helping people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, their families and their care partners.
Mission
To improve the quality of life of people affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through education, outreach, effective programming and research.
Vision
To foster a community where people affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are accepted and fully supported to maximize their quality of life and well-being.
Core Values
Collaboration
Collaboration will be inclusive of clients, care partners, program staff and external health and non-health care partners to ensure exceptional care facilitated by a team approach through listening, education and a mutually agreed upon care plan through the continuum of the disease.
Accountability
Accountability is inclusive of clients, care partners, health care partners, funders, donors, board of directors and each other, and demands responsibility for decisions, actions, behaviours and performance.
Respect
Respect considers equity, diversity, cultural humility, inclusion, dignity and privacy by modelling positive behaviour through front-line training and targeted education. Approaches to all partners will be accepting, considerate, attentive, encouraging and appreciative.
Excellence
Excellence will be fostered by all health and non-health care partners through continuous education, training and best practices in providing outstanding services for clients and care partners while minimizing risk. The Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent will be the gold standard in services and integrity driven by community needs and engagement. Leadership and governance will guide excellence for all.
Service Delivery Philosophy
Our Service Delivery Philosophy guides the way our services will be delivered to persons served.
- Our approach to service is centred on persons and communities served.
- Our service principles articulate a commitment to the promotion of health, wellness and social inclusion.
- Our staff put the needs and preferences of persons served at the centre of all considerations.
- Our staff respect the values and beliefs of all persons served.
- We employ a strength-based approach to service that identifies individual strengths and competencies, and supports persons served to use and build them.
- We recognize the importance of the whole context, including an individual's family, friends and community, as well as social, cultural and spiritual aspects.
- Our staff empower persons served to participate fully in decision making around our services.
- We share our service delivery philosophy with persons served, staff, volunteers, students and other interested parties.
- We ensure that persons served can participate fully in decision making related to their care or services.
- Our staff will advocate with, and on behalf of, persons served with internal and external service providers and other services in the community, when and where necessary.
- We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities in which we live and serve. We are also committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes in accordance with the Human Rights Code and AODA and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
- Our staff recognize and respect our clients’ unique histories, beliefs, and behaviours throughout the service process. Our persons served are involved in reviewing service processes to ensure they are inclusive and culturally safe.
Client Bill of Rights
For a copy of our Client Handbook that includes this Bill of Rights, please click here.
A Brief History of Our Chapter
The Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent was started by a group in 1983 that was affected by Alzheimer's disease. It was identified that there was a lack of resources and support services available. Informal meetings were first held at the home of Grace LaMarsh.
In 1986, the Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent received its charitable registration number and achieved full chapter status. The first office opened that year with funding secured from the Ministry of Community and Social Services. The first Board President was instrumental in advocating for funding for the Day Program.
After much negotiating and several moves, we are proud of our locations at both 36 Memory Lane in Chatham and 212 Elizabeth Street in Wallaceburg. The Chatham location houses our Day Program, Support Services and administrative staff. The Wallaceburg location houses our Day Program for residents in the northern part of Chatham-Kent.
The Rising Tide Study, published by the Alzheimer Society of Canada in 2010, clearly demonstrates that the need for our services is increasing steadily. With the assistance of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, we now have First Link® funding which is a province-wide program designed to make connections with clients earlier in the disease process in order to provide the best supports at the best time and avoid a crisis situation.
In January of 2012, the Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent was selected to be the Lead Community Agency for the Behavioural Supports Ontario Program for the Windsor-Essex, Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent regions. The amount of $2.41M of new annualized funding has been dedicated to the program creating 25 new jobs to assist those with responsive behaviours in our communities. In March of 2013, an additional $200K was added to sustain the program.
The Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent is grateful to the Ministry of Health and Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team for their continued support in ensuring that those affected by Alzheimer's disease or related dementias have much-needed services available to them.
Organizational Chart
Evacuation & Fire Safety Plan
To view ASCK's current plan, please click here.