Sponsor spotlight: Qualicare

The following story was provided by Qualicare, platinum sponsor for the 2024 Breakfast to Remember.

Sharon had always had fairly regular contact with her mother, Betty. However, Sharon started to notice Betty was making more frequent calls, forgetting what day it was, repeating her stories and mixing up the names of her grandkids.

While in the middle of an important meeting at work, Sharon received a call from Betty – she was lost. Betty was left wandering around the parking lot outside her local drug store in the rain, looking for her car. The only problem was that Betty didn’t drive anymore. She hadn’t driven for years.

This was the day Sharon had admitted to herself they need help and made the decision to call Qualicare for home care to support her mother.

After meeting with Sharon and Betty for an initial consultation and confirming Betty was living with dementia, Qualicare assigned Carolyn as Betty’s caregiver a few days each week. Carolyn had participated in education sessions offered by the Alzheimer Society and was able to employ strategies she learned when spending time with Betty. At first Betty was apprehensive about having a stranger in her home, but within a few weeks of consistent visits, Carolyn and Betty bonded with each other. The communication between Betty and Carolyn was excellent. Carolyn also helped Betty’s family understand what was happening in her brain so they could adjust their approach accordingly.

With Carolyn as her companion, Betty had a newfound freedom to do some her favourite activities. They went to the local senior centre on Tuesdays for Betty’s ukulele lessons. Other days, they went to the mall, where Betty would introduce Carolyn to people she knew as her friend. Most days were spent at home solving word puzzles together – one of Betty’s favourite hobbies but more challenging due to the dementia.

Over time, Betty’s disease progressed and her care needs became more complex. Qualicare assisted Carolyn in preparing for the next steps and enhanced the care plan as needed, coordinating care with health-care providers along the journey.

After Betty passed, Sharon later recounted how rewarding it had been to see her mother form such a great bond with Carolyn. Sharon expressed that Carolyn and Qualicare had not only improved the quality of life for her mom her last few years, but had improved her own quality of life as well.

This story is one of the many reasons Qualicare is pleased to sponsor this year’s Breakfast to Remember, a signature event that raises dementia awareness and crucial funds to support the programs and services provided by the Alzheimer Society of B.C. to our employees and our community.

Let’s make a difference together.