Dementia education in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington

Resources for the person living with dementia

Recieving a diagnosis of dementia can initially be intimidating, and often leads to many questions about what is to come. We at the society believe that knowledge is power and have services available within our community to help. If you are living with a dementia, please feel welcome to call our office to ask any questions you may have, or to make an appointment to speak with one of our public education coordinators.

Our staff will be able to answer questions about the disease, how it will affect your future, how to communicate your wishes for your future and what steps you need to take moving forward. Staff are available to meet with you in our offices located in a Kingston and Sharbot Lake, as well as within your home, depending on individual preference.

Below are some resources you may find helpful.

For people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

• First Steps: For Those Recently Diagnosed with Alzheimer Disease. Brochure. Toronto: Alzheimer Society of Canada.
• By Us For Us Guides©— inspirational guides for people with early stage memory loss. (contact MAREP to order a guide)
• Bryden, Christine. Dancing with Dementia: My Story of Living Positively with Dementia. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2005. ISBN 1-84310-332-X. www.jkp.com.
• Harris, Phyllis Braudy (ed.). The Person with Alzheimer's Disease: Pathways to Understanding the Experience. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-8018-6877-7. www.press.jhu.edu.

Online resources for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

• Alzheimer's Disease International's I Can! I Will! Idea Library.
• DASN International (Dementia Advocacy and Support Network). A worldwide organization by and for those diagnosed with dementia, working together to improve quality of life
• DASN (Dementia Advocacy and Support Network). A dementia patient and supporters non-profit organization working to improve the lives of all people with dementia of any kind. This online community is the "workplace" of DASN International, with a message board, an e-mail list and a chat room.
• DementiaGuide. DementiaGuide.ca is a website to help people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers recognize, understand, record and monitor their symptoms through an interactive tool. For more information on this tool including subscriber cost, please visit the site.

Personal webpages by people living with dementia

Please visit the DASN International (Dementia Advocacy and Support Network) site to find links to personal webpages created by DASN members who are living with dementia.

Resources for caregivers

Assisting with the care of someone living with dementia is a unique experience that comes worth a variety of challenges, but can also come with many wonderful moments.

Our staff can help to answer questions about the disease, and how to cope on a daily basis, provide guidance on how to navigate the local health care system to access services and can make suggestions on how to make the journey easier.

Knowing how the disease progresses and beginning to plan for the future can help you and the diagnosed to regain a sense of control over the disease. Education can help all involved to understand the disease and create routines to allow the diagnosed to remain as independent for as log as possible.

Our staff are available to meet in our offices located in Kingston and Sharbot Lake, or in your home, depending on personal preference.

For family caregivers

• Alzheimer's Disease International I Can! I Will! Idea Library.
• Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario. From Home to Retirement Home: A Guide for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia.
• Bowlby Sifton, Carol. Navigating the Alzheimer's Journey: A Compass for Caregiving. Health Professions Press, 2004. ISBN 1-932529-04-7. www.healthpropress.com.
• Mace, Nancy L., and Rabins, Peter V. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss in Later Life. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006 (4th ed.). ISBN 0-8018-4034-1. www.press.jhu.edu.
• Mindszenthy, Bart and Gordon, Michael. Parenting your Parents: Support Strategies for Meeting the Challenge of Aging in the Family. Dundurn Press, 2005 (2nd ed.). ISBN 1-55002-380-2. www.dundurn.com.
• Tapp-McDougall, Caroline. The Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide. John Wiley Canada, 2004. ISBN 0- 470-83449-8. http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA.

Government resources

• Canada Benefits -- Connecting You to Government Benefits. This site offers Canadian citizens government-wide information about financial benefit programs for individuals. Of particular interest may be the pages for seniors, people with disabilities and veterans.
• Canadian Health Network. The Canadian Health Network (CHN) is a growing network, bringing together resources of leading Canadian health organizations and international health information providers. The resources identified here will help you take care of yourself and the people you care about -- with tips on how to improve your health and well-being.
• Disability Tax Credit (DTC). The "disability amount" on your income tax return reduces the amount of income tax that a person with a disability, or their supporting person, might otherwise have to pay. Visit the Government of Canada website for more information about this and about medical expenses you can claim.
• Division of Aging and Seniors. Health Canada's Division of Aging and Seniors website, with information on federal programs, statistics on aging in Canada and more.
• Human Resources and Social Development Canada. HRSDC's mission is to build a stronger and more competitive Canada, to support Canadians in making choices that help them live productive and rewarding lives, and to improve Canadians' quality of life.