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Alzheimer’s Society assists family members caring for those with dementia

January 31, 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Anyone who has been touched by Alzheimer’s disease knows how cruel it can be.

It is obviously difficult for a person going through it, and  just as difficult for family and friends who can only watch as a person’s memory fades and they suffer the eventual physical limitations that occur.

It can be a jarring experience the first time you realize a person you have known your entire life has no idea who you are.

The Alzheimer’s Society of Dufferin assists people in the early stages of dementia as well as family members who will also be effected by the disease.  

“We provide support and education for about 200 clients in Dufferin County. That includes Orangeville, Shelburne, and Grand Valley, and places in between.” explained Alzheimer’s Society of Dufferin Awareness and Education co-ordinator, Lindsay Gregory. “Our goal is to assist people living with dementia and their family members, to live happily, safely, and independently as long as possible in their homes. That support can be a few different ways. We can do one-on-one support, telephone support, we can do in-home support. We also have support groups that are targeted. For example we have a men’s group. We have a group for people that are caring for a parent, and we have a general support group. It’s that supportive piece that is the biggest piece of what we do. Most of the support we offer is for the family and the care givers. That’s educating them and supporting them.” 

For many, when a person starts exhibiting signs of dementia, they have no idea where to turn for help. The Alzheimer’s Society guides people to get the help they need.

“We help with system navigation,” Ms. Gregory said. “A lot of times people come to us and they’re not quite sure what the next steps are in terms of applying for long term care or applying for day programs and accessing all the other community supports we have in this town. Dufferin County is an incredible area for supporting older adults. We encourage people to come to us in the early stages when things are still very calm. You can get your education and get your support. We can answer all of your questions and show you where to go from here, so when things do start to progress and escalate a little bit, you’re better equipped to support that person.”

The Society reaches out to the public to inform and educate people about the disease. Many people do not want to admit they, or someone in their family is experiencing memory loss. 

Research indicates that one in four Canadians would feel ashamed or embarrassed if they had dementia. 

“We will visit anyone who wants us to come out,” Ms. Gregory explained. “We have a wide variety of public education topics that we speak about. That could be going into schools, community partners, community groups, and church groups.”

January is Alzheimer’s awareness month.

“One of our goals for awareness month is challenging the stigma. There’s a stigma that comes along with supporting someone with Alzheimer’s. We know there’s probably more people out there that could use our support. It’s our goal to educate the community, that the idea of someone with dementia still has abilities and interests and feelings. As a community we want to equip people with the understanding and education so they can better understand it.”   

There are Alzheimer’s Societies across Canada. The Society also funds research to improve care and find new treatments and a cure. Over half a million Canadians are living with dementia with that number expected to rise to nearly a million in the next 12 years.

The Alzheimer’s Society of Dufferin is hosting a fundraising event tonight (Jan. 23).

“This is our first time with a cocktail type event,” Ms. Gregory explained. “It’s being held at Revival 1863 in Orangeville. We’re having a live band, a three course meal, and everyone who comes gets a welcome cocktail as well. Our goals is to get that awareness out to a new demographic of people that we maybe haven’t reached before.”

The Alzheimer’s Society of Dufferin is always looking for volunteers who would like to help out. 

From office work to the ‘friendly visitor’ program that visits clients in their home, volunteers are an important part of helping the Society achieve their goals.

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