No one should go through dementia alone
Connecting people living with dementia to a community of support
Necessity
One-on-one care for Alzheimer’s patients in Alberta and Northwest Territories.
Activity
Giving information, education and support to those living with dementia, their care partners, and extended family members.
Countable effort
People with dementia and their care partners don't have to feel so alone.
Result
Increased education of family members to allow the person living with Alzheimer's to have a voice that can be carried through the dementia journey.
Systemic effect
It allows our communities to become more dementia inclusive.
Background
Right now, more than half a million Canadians are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias, and over 50,000 of those Canadians live in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. This number is set to rise, with current estimates showing that almost one million Canadians will be living with dementia by 2031. We know that dementia doesn't just impact the individual. For every person diagnosed, there's a network of family and other caregivers who are impacted by these progressive and currently incurable diseases. Canadians spend more than $10.4 billion per year to care for family members living with dementia, but the cost is not just financial. There's a serious emotional toll for families as they navigate emerging symptoms and consider how to make decisions around care. That's where we come in. The Alzheimer Society provides support services that breathe hope into a dementia diagnosis, giving the people in our communities the tools they need to make decisions around their care and live well with dementia.
The good deed
Your GOOD DEED helps the Alzheimer Society bring one-on-one care to families who are living with dementia. You’ll help us host more than 60 annual support group meetings, making sure that almost 1,000 people can connect and share their stories. You'll help us provide nearly 200 annual presentations for education and awareness. You’ll help us train volunteers who can reach out to families in even the most remote areas, build partnerships with healthcare professionals, and fund research to improve outcomes for people with dementia worldwide. Alzheimer's and other dementias are not going away any time soon. People living with dementia and their caregivers need to have somewhere that they can turn for support. With your help, we can continue to build a network of supportive communities in our region.
About Canada – Alberta & Northwest Territories
Edmonton (Alberta) & Yellowknife (NWT)
Alberta around 4.7 million and in the NWT 45.000 people
Alberta’s per capita GDP is CAD 91,000 – The NWT per capita GDP is CAD 130,000
Alberta typically scores high on HDI-like indices due to its strong economy, probably slightly above Canada’s national HDI
Alberta is known for its rich and diverse wildlife. In addition to common animals like deer, elk, and bison, it is also home to grizzly and black bears and wolves. The NWT is home to Great Slave Lake, the deepest lake in North America and second-largest in Canada.
About the organization and further information
Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories
Website
Further information and source
- • Public Health Agency of Canada, 2019. A Dementia Strategy for Canada, PHAC, Ottawa ON.
- • Larry W. Chambers, et. al (eds), 2016. Prevalence and Monetary Costs of Dementia in Canada, Alzheimer Society of Canada, Toronto ON.
- • Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2018. Dementia in Canada, CIHI, Ottawa ON.