#Let’s Talk Memory

Let’s Talk Memory is a local campaign featuring stories about Islanders and educational information designed to increase awareness of the risk factors and warning signs of dementia.

Let's Talk Memory

On World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, 2018, Health PEI announced the launch of a new public awareness campaign titled “Let’s Talk Memory”, in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of PEI. This campaign was launched at Fanningbank during our annual Lieutenant Governor’s Coffee Break. This initiative was created and continues, in response to the Provincial Action Plan for Seniors, Near Seniors, and Caregivers, released on May 24, 2018. One of the key components found under the fourth pillar, Support Upstream Endeavors That Address the Social Determinants of Health (page 21), includes initiating a public campaign to increase awareness of the risk factors and early signs of dementia. In 2019/20, we added the hashtag #GoBlueForAlz and invited businesses and municipalities to light up their space in blue to support and stop the stigma dementia! 

Let’s Talk Memory is a local campaign, featuring social media, posters, stories about Islanders and educational components designed to increase awareness of the risk factors and warning signs of dementia. As part of this campaign, posters and information packages will be distributed to physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacies, long-term care facilities, hospitals, and schools. A teaching resource titled ‘What My Grandma Means to Say,’ written by JC Sulzenko, is also available to help educate our youth.  Our 2020 campaign included Georgetown Students sharing What Grandma Means to Say. 

We want to invite Islanders to think about their brain health, have conversations with loved ones and better understand Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Age-associated memory impairment and dementia can be differentiated in several ways. If you are worried about your memory, or are experiencing the warning signs of Alzheimer’s, please talk to your family doctor, primary care provider or the Alzheimer Society of PEI. Anyone who has been impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia is also invited to share their story on social media using the hashtag #LetsTalkMemory.

The 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease

  1. Memory loss that affects day-to-day abilities,
  2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks,
  3. Problems with language,
  4. Disorientation in time and space,
  5. Impaired judgement,
  6. Problems with abstract thinking,
  7. Misplacing things,
  8. Changes in mood and behaviour,
  9. Changes in personality and
  10. Loss of initiative.

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