Dementia education in Grey-Bruce

Education Hour

Learning from your Living Room is a new series of online learning session with a wide variety of topics. Join Sandra Hong, the Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce Public Education Coordinator, on Zoom to learn about dementia.

Visit our page to learn more and see the upcoming list of topics.

Education for the person living with dementia

Learning the Ropes for Mild Cognitive Impairment^TM

6 sessions for people with mild cognitive impairment and their care partners - topics covered:

Education about MCI and lifestyle factors for promoting cognitive health and reducing risk of dementia
Memory training involving practical strategies aimed at improving everyday remembering
Family support focused on discovering approaches for effectively living with a relative experiencing MCI

First Steps: Living Well with Memory Loss

4 sessions for people with dementia and their care partners - topics Covered:

Understanding the diagnosis of Dementia
Adapting to Brain Changes
Planning Ahead
Building a Circle of Support

Taking Control of Our Lives

This 8 part series is for individuals diagnosed with a dementia. It is intended to help develop skills, increase confidence and help to feel empowered to take control of your life -topics covered:

Participants will have an opportunity to share their ideas out loud with others, to work through them and understand more about what they need and want.
This is also a great time to hear ideas from others who have experiences that are similar to or different from their own.

You must pre-register by contacting the office at 519-376-7230.

Education for the caregiver

The Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce has been a leader in dementia education in Grey and Bruce counties since 1986. The Society educates caregivers through the First Link^® Learning Series and by providing additional educational materials.

The Society has many great resources to help caregivers with the issues they face in their caregiving role. Resources available are listed below.

The Society offers the First Link^® Learning Series for people who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.

First Link^® Learning Series

The First Link^® Learning Series is made up of five distinct courses that are progressive in nature. Each course builds upon the other to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of dementia, coping strategies, resources and support systems. These courses are facilitated by staff of the Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce and feature various community partners as guest speakers.

For more information about the First Link^® Learning Series or to register for an upcoming workshop, please contact our Education Coordinator at shong@alzheimergreybruce.com or call 519-376-7230 (toll-free: 1-800-265-9013).

The five courses that make up the learning series are:

First Steps for persons with dementia and their family
Next Steps for families and friends
Care essentials
Options for care
Care in the later stages

Next Steps for families and friends

This series will offer family members and friends caring for persons with dementia an overview of dementia. Topics covered in this course include:

What is dementia?
Memory loss and changes to the brain
Coping strategies
Drugs and treatments
Future planning
Community resources

Care essentials

This series will offer family members and friends caring for persons with dementia problem solving strategies, approaches for communications and available avenues for support, all of which can strengthen their ability to provide care. Topics covered in this course include:

Progression of dementia
Understanding behavior
Day-to-day care
Community resources

Options for care

This series is to help family members and friends caring for people with dementia evaluate their current care giving needs and explore other possible care options available, including long-term care. Topics covered in this course include:

Where to turn when care needs are increasing
Long-Term Care – how the system works
Coping with change – how to make the transition

Care in the later stages

This series is to help family members and friends of persons with dementia understand what to expect in the later stages of the disease. The series will explore how participants can provide comfort to the person as well as review the experiences of grief and loss. Topics covered in this course include:

Natural course of the later stages
How to recognize pain and distress
How to provide care that promotes dignity, comfort and quality of life

Resources for family caregivers

Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario. From Home to Retirement Home: A Guide for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia.
Bowlby Sifton, Carol. Navigating the Alzheimer's Journey: A Compass for Caregiving. Health Professions Press, 2004. ISBN 1-932529-04-7. www.healthpropress.com.
Mace, Nancy L., and Rabins, Peter V. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss in Later Life. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006 (4th ed.). ISBN 0-8018-4034-1. www.press.jhu.edu.
Mindszenthy, Bart and Gordon, Michael. Parenting your Parents: Support Strategies for Meeting the Challenge of Aging in the Family. Dundurn Press, 2005 (2nd ed.). ISBN 1-55002-380-2. www.dundurn.com.
Tapp-McDougall, Caroline. The Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide. John Wiley Canada, 2004. ISBN 0- 470-83449-8. http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA.

Government resources

Canada Benefits -- Connecting You to Government Benefits: This site offers Canadian citizens government-wide information about financial benefit programs for individuals. Of particular interest may be the pages for seniors, people with disabilities and veterans.
Canadian Health Network: The Canadian Health Network (CHN) is a growing network, bringing together resources of leading Canadian health organizations and international health information providers. The resources identified here will help you take care of yourself and the people you care about -- with tips on how to improve your health and well-being.
Disability Tax Credit (DTC): The "disability amount" on your income tax return reduces the amount of income tax that a person with a disability, or their supporting person, might otherwise have to pay. Visit the Government of Canada website for more information about this and about medical expenses you can claim.
Division of Aging and Seniors: Health Canada's Division of Aging and Seniors website, with information on federal programs, statistics on aging in Canada and more.
Human Resources and Social Development Canada: HRSDC's mission is to build a stronger and more competitive Canada, to support Canadians in making choices that help them live productive and rewarding lives, and to improve Canadians' quality of life.