The Schoors

The Schoors; Honouree Family for the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s 2023 

“A journey is a person in itself, no two are alike” (Steinback n.d), journeys through life, family, careers and a diagnosis of dementia- no two are alike.  

At the age of 21, Gerd Schoor following in his mother’s footsteps embarked on the journey to start a life of his own in Upsala, Ontario. Being new to a small community it wasn’t long before he captured the attention of Gail Leino. Not long after they met Gerd and Gail married, and they have two daughters and a grandson and step-granddaughter. For Gerd, his life has been prosperous and complete. Seven years ago, Gerd began a new journey in life, he received a diagnosis of dementia. He has been living his day-to-day with humour and spontaneity; Gerd and Gail go on many drives around Thunder Bay-their long-standing home for a change in scenery. Gail will ask “Where are we going today, Gerd?” He, replies “Wherever you want to go”. Gerd and Gail shared a special love for their town, Upsala; this was emulated through their volunteer work. With two young daughters of their own, the Schoor’s took notice of the lack of meaningful activities for the kids to take part in. Drawing from this thought Gerd and Gail played a vital role in establishing the Kids Club. A safe environment for children of the town to socialize and partake in all sorts of activities. Gerd also dedicated his time to being a volunteer paramedic for their beloved town of 20 years. Two years before Gerd’s diagnosis, Gail started to notice some warning signs of dementia. She noticed that Gerd was repeating the same questions and stories all in the same sitting. After Gerd’s diagnosis, their daughters began to see changes, such as forgetting steps in construction projects and misusing tools without noticing. As a tight-knit family, they all felt the effects. In the early stages of Gerd’s diagnosis, Gail talks of feeling sick each time that she thought of it. “It was awful, but then acceptance came, and I’ve never felt that same way again”. Gail, along with the rest of the family has gained unique perspectives and wisdom through Gerd’s diagnosis. “Find someone to whom you can share your feelings as well as get some advice or maybe not. It will certainly relieve some of your pressure. When anger sets in, before speaking, leave the area if possible, take a deep breath through your nose, hold, and push it out through your mouth. Repeat a few times. Surprisingly this relieves your anxiety and changes your frame of mind. Better than counting to ten. It was suggested to me to start my day by doing this, 'take time away from home for yourself' as I have been beginning to experience and it is so rewarding! You are so important in the big scheme of things! Remember that!” Gail says offering some helpful insight as Gerd’s care partner. The Alzheimer’s Society of Thunder Bay supports approximately 700 clients a year, supporting people living with dementia and their care partners. Gerd and Gail have found support and connections through the Minds in Motion program alongside additional support services. There is a common misconception surrounding the quality of life of someone living with dementia, Gerd and his family are prime examples of living well with a diagnosis of dementia. The family fills the room with love, laughter and deep connection. They exclaim “We are each other's friends, these are my best friends” They want others to know that it's important to treat the person for who they are, not their diagnosis of dementia, to avoid making assumptions. To break the assumption barrier it is said that, once you have met one person living with dementia, you’ve only met one person with dementia. More than thirty-five percent of the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay’s funding comes from donations and fundraising. To help raise awareness and funding join the Schoor family at this year’s Walk for Alzheimer’s on May 27th, 2023 at Prince Arthur’s Landing, to help raise funds to support those living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in our community. To find out more and to register, visit www.walkforalzheimers.ca or call the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay at (807) 346-9556.  

Written by: Ashley Hortis