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I am  Living with Dementia

I am a person living with dementia. Whether I have been given a formal diagnosis or I'm concerned about my cognitive health, I could be living with dementia.

Summary of what Living with Dementia is:

You've likely been worried and anxious about the changes you're seeing in yourself. Now that you've been diagnosed, know that there are education and resources to support you. If you've just been diagnosed with dementia, you may need some time before sharing the news – or you may want to talk about it right away. Dementia impacts your cognitive, emotional, physical and social abilities. Understand how these changes can affect you and know how you can prepare and adjust accordingly to live well with dementia.

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Living With Dementia

Education

Whether you have a diagnosis or are just browsing, know that there are education and resources to support you.
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Living with Dementia

Live Events and Meetings

Stay updated with our latest videos and insights on dementia care.
Upcoming Live Meeting
Social Inclusion and Dementia Supportive Communities
Alison Phinney will explore the critical role of social inclusion in creating supportive environments for individuals living with dementia. This session will delve into practical strategies, community initiatives, and innovative approaches to foster inclusivity and enhance the quality of life for those affected by dementia.
Jan 15, 2025
7:00 PM
60 minutes
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Upcoming Live Meeting
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Discover more Past Live Meetings:
Past Live Meeting
Yoga for Aging Well
Yoga is one of civilization's oldest health systems that remains accessible to everyone at any age. Contrary to popular belief, extreme flexibility and extraordinary strength are not required to enjoy the benefits of yoga. Yoga practices have been shown to have positive effects on cellular aging, mobility, balance, emotional wellbeing, and cognitive health. They can also improve the quality of life in individuals living with dementia.In this seminar you will be introduced to yoga philosophy and basic techniques that you can use in your daily life to support healthy aging. This online seminar will be presented from a yoga studio. Please wear comfortable, non-restricting clothing to participate in a gentle yoga practice.
Feb 15, 2023
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Optimizing Supportive End-of-Life Care for Frail Older Adults Living with Dementia in Long-Term-Care
In this presentation, the objectives are, describe the challenges faced within long-term-care to providing supportive end-of-life care among frail residents within the last year or so of life. Present evidence-based approaches to providing supportive end-of-life care in the long-term-care setting. Discuss development and implementation of a frailty pathway within long-term care
Feb 2, 2023
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Rest Easy: Sleeping, remembering, and aging well
Sleep has remarkable impacts on all aspects of healthy living. Join Dr. Brandon Hauer, PhD as he explores the complex relationship between sleep, memory, and aging well. Learn what sleep looks like in your brain, how we measure it, what stage of sleep is best for boosting memory, and how sleep and memory change both across the lifespan and in Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Hauer will also share some tips on things you can start doing tonight to sleep better and, hopefully: rest easy.
Jan 18, 2023
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
"Ask Us Anything!" Presentation with Stephanie Dziedzic and Jeannine Chemello
Have you been recently diagnosed, supporting a family member or friend who has been diagnosed, or are just generally interested to learn more about dementia? Then this is the live event for you! Dementia can have so many unanswered questions and it's hard to know where to start some days. Join us as we welcome two professionals in the field for a meeting that is just that, ask them anything and learn more about dementia today!
Dec 14, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Indigenous Ways of Knowing about Dementia - Some lessons from the Gitxsan Perspective
In 2017, direct care nurses within the Gitxsan Health Society identified that increased understanding about dementia was needed by both health authority and band employed nurses to better support the individuals with the disease and the community caring for the people with the disease. Through 2018-19 a multi-partner Nurse research project was undertaken with this aim in mind. This included both qualitative and quantitative components, and involved not only the person with dementia, but their family, friends, communities, and the nurses and other carers.Led by and centred around the communities directly affected, a number of key themes emerged from the project which gave voice to the gaps and needs in care, but also highlighted the potential areas of strength that can be built on to improve care for the Gitxsan person living with dementia. This presentation speaks towards the experience of this particular project and these particular communities with the hopes that further dialogue and knowledge exchange can lead to transferable learning in other separated but related settings.
Dec 14, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Music and Wellness: how to use music effectively in caregiving and in self-care
The connections we make to music are incredibly strong. We can access these important connections in every stage of life, whether it's in infancy, teen years, adulthood and advanced age. What if we not only accessed these connections, but utilized them for the wellness of our loved ones and ourselves? Discover ways to use music effectively for health, connect with loved ones through music and how to use music for ones own self-care in this workshop with certified music therapist Kelsi Mcinnes.
Nov 23, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Creating Safer Spaces: Gender Diversity in Long-Term Care Homes
Josephine Agudo (she/they) is a registered nurse with a specialty in geriatrics who works as an educator and resource clinician with the VCH Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Professional Practice Team. She is a PIECES champion and certified GPA (Gentle Persuasive Approaches) Coach. Josephine is passionate about empowering and enabling the people who live and work in long term care homes to be seen and heard. She advocates for safer spaces and for personhood-promoting practices for the 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors community and people living with dementia in long-term care.
Nov 3, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Home Care & the Continuing Care System: How Does it Work?
The session will include a brief overview of the Continuing Care system and Home Care including how to make a referral, what you can expect from the assessment and what types of services might be available to help support. There will be ample time to ask questions in order to learn more about the Home Care services in the Edmonton zone.
Oct 26, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Alzheimer's Disease is a life-limiting illness with a terminal phase
In this presentation, Kath will discuss the terminal nature of Alzheimer's Disease, and explore what this means for your role in caregiving, navigating, decision making, and advance care planning. Kath will draw on her experiences as a hospice palliative care nurse and thanatologist. Please send questions in advance, and prepare to participate during the session.
Sep 21, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
"Ask Us Anything!" Presentation with Dr. Bill Gibson & Arlene Huhn
Have you have been recently diagnosed, supporting a family member or friend who has been diagnosed, or just generally interested to learn more about dementia? Then this is the live event for you! Dementia can have so many unanswered questions and it's hard to know where to start some days. Join us as we welcome two professionals in the field for a meeting that is just that, ask them anything and learn more about dementia today!
May 18, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors with Dementia/Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Canadian Context
Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of language and be provided with resources for accessing a 2SLGBTQI+ common language glossary. We will then focus on seniors and the context of historical discrimination experienced by many 2SLGBTQI+ seniors. We will examine disparities related to 2SLGBTQI+ seniors mental health and physical health, based on literature and based on the experiences of these elders. We will then apply what we've learned to 2SLGBTQI+ elders who are experiencing dementia/mild cognitive impairment, with the goal of leaving with multiple clinical pearls.
May 5, 2022
60 minutes
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Past Live Meeting
Emergency Preparedness with the Hon. Lisa Raitt
What you don't know could harm you. Join us as we welcome the honourable Lisa Raitt as she shares her experience with being a care partner. Learn how you can best be prepared for various emergency situations while caring for someone living with dementia.
Apr 20, 2022
60 minutes
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See all Live and Past Events
Living with Dementia

Resources

Our Society links individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementias to a community of learning, information and support.

What are some quick facts on dementia in Canada?

Dementia Numbers in Canada

By 2030, researchers project that nearly 1 million people in Canada will be living with dementia. And they forecast that more than 1.7 million people in Canada will have dementia by 2050. 

  • As of January 1, 2024, we estimate that 733,040 people in Canada are living with dementia.
  • Every day, more than 350 people in Canada develop dementia. This is more than 15 every hour.
  • By 2030, nearly 1 million people in Canada could live with dementia.
  • This would be 187,000 new cases a year, 512 a day and 21 an hour, by 2030. Canada could have a 51% increase in the number of new dementia cases a year (Compared to 2020).
  • By 2030, the number of people in Canada living with dementia could increase 65% compared to 2020. (From 597,300 to 990,600.)
  • 20,000+ Canadians will develop dementia every month in the 2040s.
  • By 2050, more than 1.7 million people in Canada could have dementia.
  • This would mean, by 2050, 685 people will be diagnosed each day with dementia in Canada, or 29 every hour.
  • 6.3 million people in Canada will develop, live with and/or ultimately die with dementia between 2020 and 2050.
Caregiving and Dementia in Canada
  • Care partners of older adults with dementia provide 26 hours of care a week, on average. This compares to 17 hours a week for older adults with other health issues. (Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information)
  • Every year, family and friends provide more than 470 million hours of care to people living with dementia. This is equivalent to 235,000 full-time jobs.
  • Dementia care provided by family and friends in 2022 would equal more than $7.3 billion dollars in Canada alone.
  • By 2050, Canada will have more than 1 million care partners for people living with dementia. The care they provide will equal more than 1.4 billion hours per year, or 690,000 full-time jobs.
  • The number of care partners would nearly triple (188% increase) over 30 years (2020 to 2050).
  • 45% of care partners for seniors living with dementia show symptoms of distress. The distress rate for care partners of seniors with other health conditions is almost half that (26%). (Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information)

The recommendations section of The Many Faces of Dementia in Canada report contains further recommendations for Alzheimer societies, governments, healthcare systems, and researchers.

How do I know if a person with dementia is ready to move into a care home?

As dementia progresses, care needs increase and the person with dementia will need supervision and care both during the day and at night. It can become difficult for the care partner to meet the increasing care needs in advanced stages of dementia. Some individuals with dementia tend to leave home if they are unsupervised, leading to concerns about the safety of the individual and wandering. Other factors to consider are the care partner’s physical and mental health and their stress load in addition to the behavioural changes and sleep disturbances experienced by the person with dementia. These things can make it very challenging to care for the person at home. The time to move the person to a care facility varies based on the individuals involved and the situation. The decision is best made by the family. We encourage you to get in touch with us at 1-866-950-5465 or email info@alzheimer.ab.ca

What do I need to do to plan for future decision-making about my financial and legal affairs?

If you have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, it is important for you to be a part of the decision-making about your financial and legal affairs, while you are able to make decisions and sign legal papers. Making arrangements in the early stages means that you are able to control your own future.

Talk to your family. It is important to ensure that your finances are managed by someone you trust. Arrange for a power of attorney authorizing someone to legally make decisions on your behalf once you are no longer able to. Talk to a lawyer about naming someone to look after your financial interests.

To find an Office of the Public Guardian close to you, please visit the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee | Alberta. They can provide additional information and guidance.

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