Find support in Durham Region
We provide lots of support for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, care partners, family members and care providers. Whether the diagnosis is recent, unknown, or longstanding, we are here for you throughout the journey.
Individual support
Telephone, online and email support
You can speak with us by phone, or email or contact one of our family support staff if you have specific questions or you wish to have regular ongoing contact.
Home visits
Arrange to have family support staff visit you in your home or at another convenient location.
Office visits
Arrange to meet family support staff at our Whitby office (NE Corner of Thickson and Stellar Dr.) or at one of our satellite offices in North Durham and Ajax.
Please contact our Intake Coordinator at 1-888-301-1106 ext. 5245 or email intake@alzheimerdurham.com for more information.
Referral to community services
We provide referrals to health-care professionals and support services in our community. We will help you make sense of our often complex health-care system of care and services.
Information packages
You can receive a package by email or mail on a range of topics tailored to your needs, including diagnostic techniques, medications, caregiving issues and treatments.
Weekly Care Partner Social
This gathering is intended to offer support, opportunities to share and help in navigating available resources, while providing social interaction. Sessions are hosted by Family Support staff or qualified volunteers. Each session is limited to 15 participants.
Please contact our Intake Coordinator at 1-888-301-1106 ext. 5245 or email intake@alzheimerdurham.com for more information.
Care partner support groups
A safe forum to learn and understand how to cope more effectively. Groups are led by trained and competent Family Support staff. There is no charge to attend our support groups or to access counselling and care-navigation services. Each session is limited to 10 participants. Registration required.
Please contact our Intake Coordinator at 1-888-301-1106 ext. 5245 or email intake@alzheimerdurham.com for more information.
Care Partner Support Group for Those Supporting Residents in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes
This support group offers a safe forum to learn and understand how to cope more effectively. This group is led by trained and competent staff and specifically focuses on topics that affect those supporting residents in LTC/RH homes. There is no charge to attend our support groups. Each session is limited to 10 participants.
Please contact our Intake Coordinator at 1-888-301-1106 ext. 5245 or email intake@alzheimerdurham.com for more information.
Other support programs
The Reitman CARERS Group
(CARERS - Coaching, Advocacy, Respite, Education, Relationship, Simulation)
CARERS is an eight-week program for family caregivers of people living with early and mid-stage dementia. An accredited program of the Sinai Health System Reitman Centre CARERS Program, this is a fully integrated, comprehensive dementia-care program.
The focus is on practical skills-based tools and emotional supports needed to provide care for family members with dementia.
For upcoming dates and information, please contact the program lead at 905-576-2567 ext. 5227 to register.
The Reitman TEACH Group
(TEACH — Training, Education and Assistance for Caregiving at Home)
The TEACH program is a five-week program for care partners of persons living with dementia. It is an innovative therapeutic group intervention aimed at providing education and enhancing coping skills of care partners.
For upcoming dates and information, please contact the program lead at 905-576-2567 ext. 5227 to register.
Ready, set, plan
We all need to plan ahead. There may be a time that someone else may suddenly need to help care for you, such as if your care partner were to become sick.
If and when this happens, filling out the information below and keeping it updated with any changes will help. You are encouraged to share this plan with a family member, friend or neighbour you trust or at least to let them know of the existence of this plan and where it can be found.
Download your fillable copy for care partner absence (for persons living with dementia).