Quarterly newsletter - March 2015

Helping people with dementia stay engaged: what works, what doesn't

It's distressingly easy for someone with dementia to stop being active in their community and lose their sense of well-being. It comes from being deprived of what researchers call "social citizenship."

But groups are springing up in various parts of the country that aim to help people with dementia become more engaged and better able to participate in their communities. More social club than support group, these gatherings are often informal and unaffiliated with the health-care system.

While such groups are becoming more common, there has been almost no research examining their impact, "especially from the perspective of group members themselves," says Phinney. With money from the Alzheimer Society Research Program, she means to evaluate these groups and find out exactly what activities and approaches work.

Spring has sprung! Give your brain a tune-up. We have tips just for you.

“What can I do to make sure I won’t get Alzheimer’s disease?”

It’s a question we hear all the time. While age is the biggest risk factor, it’s been estimated that up to 50 percent of cases of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide may be the result of lifestyle factors.

The good news? You can do something to lower the risk no matter your age. While there are no guarantees, making simple lifestyle changes will help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. On top of that, they help maintain good brain health as you age as well as fight off other diseases.

This month on Facebook and Twitter we’ve been sharing daily tips that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. Here are a few of our favourites!

Make memories matter this spring – Sign up today to Walk for Alzheimer’s

Spring is here and what better way to have fun, get active and make a difference than joining thousands of other Canadians who are working together to do just that!

In 2014, 24,000 walkers raised $4.5 million and this year we want to raise even more. It’s one of the reasons why Alzheimer Societies across Canada are giving our walks a fresh new look and name – Walk for Alzheimer’s.
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"While she doesn’t seem to recognize most relatives and longtime friends, she still knows me, her daughter. I can tell by the way her face lights up when she sees me. She introduces me to the staff every time saying, 'This is my daughter.'"

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We provide education and support for many types of dementia in addition to Alzheimer’s disease. 

Learn more about the rarer forms of dementia with our new info sheets.

We partner with Alzheimer Societies in every province. Here are some highlights of their work and how to connect with them.

Alberta and Northwest Territories

The Alzheimer’s Face Off tournament, which raised $1 million in Edmonton last year to support the Alberta Alzheimer Research Program, offers the hockey experience of a lifetime. Taking place April 10-12, this charity event teams up local hockey enthusiasts with some of the NHL alumni’s all-time greats, as they take to the ice in the battle against Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

British Columbia

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. has just launched its new, easier-to-navigate website, now part of the nationwide network. We’re still working to make the site even better, but are already receiving lots of positive feedback.

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Manitoba

The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba’s Minds in Motion^® program has received a $25,000 grant from the Winnipeg Foundation to help expand the program! Spring sessions will begin in April at the YMCA – YWCA of Winnipeg / South Location and The Wellness Institute.

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New Brunswick

The Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick is thrilled to announce that the government of New Brunswick will provide funding to provide First Link^® to support the  more than 14,000 New Brunswickers affected by dementia.

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Newfoundland and Labrador

The Walk for Alzheimer's is only two months away! Register today and get ready for another fun walk! No walk in your area? Contact us to get one started!

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Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia will be hosting its popular Early Stage Forum in April. This workshop, for people with dementia by people with dementia continues to grow every year. Poster and details can be found at www.alzheimer.ca/ns.

Ontario

The Alzheimer Society of Ontario has expanded Finding Your Way™, a program to prevent people with dementia from going missing, to include Tagalog, Tamil, Urdu and Arabic. It now includes twelve languages, allowing us to reach even more Ontarians. www.findingyourwayontario.ca

Prince Edward Island

The Alzheimer Society of PEI hosted a Brain Awareness Workshop on March 21. It included a Virtual Dementia Tour and brief information session on how to keep the brain healthy and active.

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Quebec

On Sunday May 31, join the Walk for Alzheimer’s and help the 20 Alzheimer Societies of Quebec pursue their important mission. Walk alone, with your family and friends or even better, form a team. Register today at the Walk for Alzheimer’s website: www.walkforalzheimers.ca

Saskatchewan

Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan is funding a $1 million Research Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation.

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