The leaves are changing, the days are feeling frosty, and decorations are making their way across homes and storefronts. Though the holiday season is enjoyable for many, it can be a stressful time for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease. Here are some tips that can help make the holidays more enjoyable—for everyone.
Planning for the future is important for everyone, but it’s especially important if you or someone you care about has dementia. That’s why we’ve partnered with RBC Wealth Management Estate & Trust Services to bring you a series of informative blogs about estate planning. In this blog, Elaine Blades, Senior Manager, Professional Practice Group, RBC Estate & Trust Services, outlines the steps everyone should take to plan for incapacity. By Elaine Blades, Senior Manager, Professional Practice Group, RBC Estate &…
Our brother, Robert, was the oldest of three boys in our family. When he passed away, it felt like we had lost a leg of our tripod, a corner of our triangle. Committed to his family and friends, Robert was always willing to offer extra support during difficult times—like when his own family was touched by dementia. After witnessing the heartbreaking effects of the disease, Robert decided to leave a generous gift to the Alzheimer Society of Canada in his…
Planning for the future is important for everyone, but it’s especially important if you or someone you care about has dementia. That’s why we’ve partnered with RBC Wealth Management Estate & Trust Services to bring you a series of informative blogs about estate planning. In this blog, Elaine Blades, Senior Manager, Professional Practice Group, RBC Estate & Trust Services, explains why it’s so important for everyone to have a will, and what you risk by not having one. By Elaine…
We all know that a healthy lifestyle is important for reducing our risk of dementia and many other chronic diseases. But did you know that it’s equally important for people who already have a diagnosis of dementia? Research shows that lifestyle choices such as healthy eating, staying social, challenging your brain and being physically active can improve quality of life, may help to slow the progression of the disease and can improve your capacity to cope with some of the…
Thanksgiving is more than just a turkey with all the fixings. It is a time to share thanks for all that we have been given and a time for togetherness with family and friends. If a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, considerations can be made in advance to ensure an enjoyable holiday for all. Here are some Thanksgiving Dinner tips to help both people with dementia and their families during Thanksgiving: 1. Plan ahead There is a…
By Alex Westman My wife Donna and I met when we were just teenagers—she was 18, I was 16. Despite our youth, we understood early on that we had a deep connection. It was an amazing thing, really, and still is. There was magic in her and she saw something in me. I had a reputation as a bit of a scrapper, but she soon took care of that. These days, I’m almost respectable. I’m a three-term municipal councillor in the…
The Alzheimer Society of Canada celebrates the passage of Bill C-233, An Act respecting a national strategy for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Canada will now become the latest country to develop a national dementia strategy to address the overwhelming scale, impact and cost of dementia. “For the more than half a million Canadians living with dementia and their families, this is an important milestone,” says Pauline Tardif, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. “A national strategy enables a…
Recently, my family has joined the unfortunate ranks of those who have been impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. My mom started showing early signs of the disease a few years ago, and it has slowly and stubbornly progressed ever since. The toll that Alzheimer’s is taking on my mom is obvious and devastating. Less obvious, but just as significant, is the impact it is having on my dad. As my mom’s primary caregiver, it’s been said that my dad must ride…
Death is a fact of life. Because the transition from life to death is an unknown, humans are full of fear. And fear drives us to avoidance. Even though there has been increasing media attention to end-of-life issues recently, we seem to live in a death-phobic, death-avoidance culture. While our television, movie and video game screens are often filled with images of violent death. And news reports remind us every day of various threats to life. Can we shift our…