January is national Alzheimer’s month in Canada, and we have a lot of work to do! If you know or are someone who has memory problems, you know about the stigma that Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients face every day. Here are 8 ways you can help say goodbye to the stigma and support people living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
- Simply search for information about this condition. Besides becoming forgetful, do you know what exactly it entails to live with Alzheimer’s? Did you know, there’s currently no cure for Alzheimer’s and that this condition often goes hand in hand with depression and anxiety? For more information about Alzheimer’s read this blog for more resources.
- Do you know someone who is a caregiver for an Alzheimer’s patient? Invite them out for a coffee and talk to them. Ask them questions about what it’s like to care for someone, how their life has changed and how not just the patient is affected by their condition. We’ll assure you, you’ll learn a lot!
- Visit a town hall meeting and ask your elected officials what they are doing to meet the criteria in the BC Provincial Dementia Action Plan.
- Find like-minded community members and together start an effort to make your community Dementia Friendly.
5. Write a local nursing home about their Dementia Care System. Have they established a Dementia Friendly Community for their patients? Do their patients always come first? Are individual needs looked after?
6. Donate or volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada.
7. Become a caregiver for someone living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
8. Last but not least, the easiest thing you can do: be aware of yourself! How do you treat people with Alzheimer’s or Dementia? Do you treat them differently because of their condition?
The Medical Arts Health Research Group is committed to improving the lives of Alzheimer’s and Dementia in BC. If you would like to collaborate with us, please send an email to eva@medicalartsresearch.com and we can discover the possibilities.