January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. With more than 85,000 people in B.C. living with dementia and with that number expected to triple by 2050, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. is ready to help.
They have started an awareness campaign and throughout the month they are sharing people’s personal experiences and putting on events and workshops so people can become aware of the dementia journey.
Alzheimer’s disease is not simply memory loss – most of us experience this as a normal part of aging. I prefer to think that my aging brain after living many years is so stuffed with information it takes time to retrieve it. In their recent newsletter, Macmaster Optimal Aging Portal says “It is normal and expected that some of our cognitive abilities will gradually change as we age. But they also say, “Most importantly, the changes associated with normal aging don’t impact a person’s ability to function independently.”
But with dementia there is a more pronounced decline. The Alzheimer Society’s website defines dementia as an overall term for a set of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. Symptoms may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem solving or language, severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.
A person with dementia may also experience changes in mood or behaviour. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse as more brain cells become damaged and eventually die. There are many types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy Body dementia and frontotemporal dementia.
Receiving a dementia diagnosis and coping with the progression of the disease can feel overwhelming. At the Alzheimer’s Society, they say “With guidance, people affected by the disease can continue to find joy, meaning and connection on the dementia journey.” The Alzheimer Society of B.C. can provide resources, education and support.
On the society’s website, you can find many events and several stories about either caregivers or people living with dementia or both. One of the caregivers who was showcased eloquently said this about her husband’s dementia and the support she received: “How we deal with it now is the big thing and I thank God for the Alzheimer Society of B.C. Because of what I learned through the society, I respond to challenging behaviours differently and by saying, ‘Oh, that’s Alzheimer’s; it’s not you.’”
There is often a stigma attached to dementia, but everyone has a responsibility to help make their community a dementia-friendly place. The Alzheimer Society states: “Dementia-friendly communities are those which support people to be engaged and active where they work, live and play. Individuals in these communities learn how to recognize when someone has dementia and how to respond in a respectful, effective way.”
The Alzheimer Society of B.C. connects people affected by dementia to support and education at any point in the disease through First Link dementia support. People can connect to support by asking their health-care provider for a referral, by visiting their local resource centre or by calling the First Link® Dementia Helpline at 1-800-936-6033.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and meet the courageous people sharing their stories this month, visit alzbc.org/aam2025.
Margaret Coates is the co-ordinator of Lionsview Seniors’ Planning Society. She has lived on the North Shore for 54 years and has worked for and with seniors for 30 of those years. Ideas for future columns are welcome. Email [email protected].
