Explore our series of blog-style posts created by people that have been impacted by dementia. In each post, individuals share their experiences and recommend resources they have personally found helpful in their lives and work. If you’d like to contribute a similar blog post, please reach out to knowledge broker Nick Ubels at [email protected]
Trying to be a good sidekick on my friend’s dementia journey
I recently saw in a newsletter on healthy aging that a survey by Stats Canada revealed that one in four Canadians over 15 years of age is a caregiver. It’s funny. There are times when I feel I’m out in the wilderness by myself.
Continue readingTake good care: Brain health for caregivers
According to the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, one in four Canadians currently identifies as a caregiver, but the true number is likely much greater than we know. The late First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter, Founder of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers in Georgia, said, “There are only four kinds of…
Continue readingAdults with Intellectual Disabilities and dementia related behaviours
Canada’s national dementia strategy, released in 2019, recognizes that people with an intellectual disability are at a higher risk of developing dementia and face many barriers to equitable access to supports and services related to dementia. Research shows that adults with Down syndrome have a much higher risk of young onset Alzheimer disease and rapid…
Continue readingFind art, laughter, and connection at a memory café
I started three Memory Cafés in Victoria because about one in three older adults report loneliness and social isolation, and we know those numbers are higher among people living with dementia and their care partners. I am trying to reduce the stigma of dementia which decreases quality of life and well-being for many older adults…
Continue readingFive Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) resources for managing personal expressions
My name is Prachi Gandhi. I am a Community Support Worker with Behavioural Supports Ontario. I work for older adults living with dementia, cognitive impairment, mental illness, substance use, and/or other neurocognitive disorders. In my role, I collaborate with families and staff serving older adults with such challenges to manage any personal expressions and support…
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