Online resources for Niagara residents

Resources for persons living with dementia

Whether you are newly diagnosed or in a later stage of dementia, there are many resources available to you.

• DASN International (Dementia Advocacy and Support Network) – An online community that is part of a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of people with dementia.
• DASN (Dementia Advocacy and Support Network) (daily real-time chat at 3 p.m. EST and 9 p.m. EST)
• DementiaGuide – a website that helps people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers recognize, understand, record and monitor symptoms
• By Us For Us Guides – inspirational guides for people with early stage memory loss
• Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center – current and comprehensive information about Alzheimer’s disease and resources from the U.S. government’s National Institute on Aging.
• Ontario Dementia Advisory Group - a group of people living with dementia in Ontario, Canada. The groups purpose is to influence policies, practices, and people to ensure that people living with dementia are included in every decision that affects their lives.

Resources for care partners

The Alzheimer Society recognizes the significant investment of time and effort caregivers offer to their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Below are some resources to help you better understand Alzheimer’s disease and your role in helping your loved one.

• Advocacy Centre for the Elderly
  Legal issues for seniors, ex. Advance care planning, consent and capacity, power of attorney, pension, etc.
• Baycrest Memory Loss and Dementia
  Tutorials with articles, videos, and pictures about memory types and changes with normal aging, memory loss and dementia; cognitive disorders, and coping with memory loss and dementia.
• Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center – current and comprehensive information about Alzheimer’s disease and resources from the U.S. government’s National Institute on Aging.
• Centre for Studies in Aging & Health at Providence Care
  Resources for patients, caregivers, and health care professionals pertinent to issues surrounding aging.
• HBO Alzheimer's Project
  Documentary series about Alzheimer's disease. Click on HBO USA to enter the site.
• Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program
  Information and 'By Us For Us' guides for caregivers.
• Video Caregiving
  Videos for family caregivers with educational content about caregiving, etc.
• Canadian Virtual Hospice
  The Canadian Virtual Hospice is an online community where you can find answers to your questions or share your experiences with serious illness or grief. Just like a hospice, the Canadian Virtual Hospice provides information and support for physical, emotional and spiritual concerns related to death and dying.
• ElderCare Online
  ElderCare Online is a beacon for people caring for aging loved ones. Whether you are caring for a spouse, parent, relative or neighbor, this site provides an online community where supportive peers and professionals help you improve quality of life for yourself and your elder. Includes chats for caregivers.
• Empowering Caregivers
  Empowering Caregivers offers comprehensive emotional and spiritual support for all caregivers through experts, articles, newsletter, journal exercises, spotlights, healing circle, resources, inspiration, humor and much more. It is about choices, healing and opening to love.
• Family Caregiver Alliance -- National Center on Caregiving
  Programs to support and sustain the important work of families in the U.S. caring for loved ones affected by chronic, disabling health conditions.
• When dementia is in the house
  A website created by Dr. Tiffany Chow, a Baycrest neurologist who specializes in Fronto-temporal dementia, to help children and teenagers as they cope with the challenges of parents/grandparents living with dementia.
• Canadian Dementia Knowledge Translation Network
  This site is intended as a resource for current research, news, events and information about dementia. The CDKTN is a national network for knowledge translation (KT) and exchange (KE) of research in Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
• The Victoria Order of Nurses (VON Canada)
  A national health care organization and a federally registered charity that has been caring for the lives and well being of Canadians in their homes and local communities since 1897.

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.
• 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 & Skills 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.