For people living with dementia, support changes everything

Alzheimer Society of Canada hopes to connect people living with dementia to support, knowledge and community

TORONTO, Jan. 3, 2023 /CNW/ - A diagnosis of dementia is not easy. This January, during National Alzheimer's Awareness Month, the Alzheimer Society of Canada hopes to connect people living with dementia and caregivers with support, knowledge and a sense of community, so they don't have to face the journey alone.  With more than half a million Canadians living with dementia today, a number expected to reach 1.7 million by 2050, the Alzheimer Society of Canada is continuing to enhance its support amongst people living with dementia to meet their needs early in, and throughout, their journey.

When you reach out to your local Alzheimer Society, you gain access to dementia-friendly expertise and resources to help you feel understood and supported. At any point in your experience living with dementia or caring for a person with dementia, your local Alzheimer Society is your first place to turn ? and the Society's First Link^® program offers services and information to people living with Alzheimer's or other dementias and caregivers. First Link includes information about risk reduction, living well with dementia, the latest research and advocacy efforts, as well as referrals to programs to help you manage the challenges that dementia can present.

The goal of the Alzheimer Society's First Link^® program is to ensure that people living with dementia and caregivers have the right support and information, from the time of an initial diagnosis and throughout the progression of the disease.

To get connected to your local Alzheimer Society for support, visit www.alzheimer.ca/FirstLink

The Alzheimer Society is Canada's leading nationwide health charity for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Active in communities across Canada, the Society provides information, programs and services to those living with a diagnosis and their caregivers. The Alzheimer Society Research Program is Canada's leading funder of research into better understanding the causes of dementia, improving treatment and care, and towards finding cures.  

• Today, more than half a million Canadians are living with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
• By the year 2050, more than 1.7 million people in Canada will be living with dementia
• Alzheimer Societies across Canada provide programs and support services for people with all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, and their caregivers.
• Care partners for people with dementia provide an average 26 hours of caregiving per week compared to 17 hours per week for seniors with other health issues (coming from data out of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)). Data from the CIHI has shown that:
• 45% of care partners providing care to people living with dementia exhibit symptoms of distress. This is twice the rate compared to care partners of older adults with health conditions other than dementia (26%).
• 21% of care partners feel unable to continue their caring activities due to stress
• Alzheimer Societies across Canada provide caregivers and families with information, education and resources to help them support the person in their care who is living with dementia.
• The Alzheimer Society is a leading Canadian funder of dementia research. Since 1989, we have invested over $70 million in grants and awards toward innovative dementia research through the Alzheimer Society Research Program, improving the quality of life for people with lived experience and bringing us closer to a future without Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
• The Alzheimer Society is a key partner in the development of Canada's first national dementia strategy, which will enhance research efforts and ensure access to quality care and support for all Canadians affected by dementia,
• The Alzheimer Society is the organization behind First Link^® and all the important services and supports it provides to those diagnosed with dementia across Canada.

SOURCE Alzheimer Society of Canada