Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan

The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan is a partner in Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan (DSRS,) a five-year, federally funded project focused on improving the social inclusion of people living with dementia in Yorkton, Melville, and the surrounding communities.  We are optimistic that DSRS will help inform future policies, initiatives, and services throughout our province so that more people can live well with dementia.  

To support the DSRS project, we hired a Dementia Community Coordinator for the project area – Jackie Hofstrand.  Jackie’s job was to raise awareness about dementia, help reduce stigma around the disease, and engage employers to adopt more inclusive and dementia friendly practices.  Perhaps some of you have already met Jackie, as she recently visited over 13 communities in the project area, including Stenen, Esterhazy, Bredenbury, and Kamsack. 

“This is so needed here with our aging population.”

“I’m very interested in becoming more dementia friendly as I have experience with family members wandering in the past.”

“We are very interested in having a come and go session where introductory information about dementia can be shared.”

Those are just a few of the comments Jackie received from the numerous clubs, businesses, and community members she connected with while touring the project area.  The consistent narrative is that small communities are recognizing they have unique challenges when it comes to dementia.    

Most people living with dementia live at home in their communities and want to do so as fully as possible.  Individual, community, and organizational level services are essential to supporting those living with dementia in their own communities, so that they can age in a familiar place.  DSRS will explore innovative and collaborative partnerships with local businesses and organizations in the project area to address issues experienced by people living with dementia and their caregivers.   

Informed individuals make dementia friendly communities possible.  We need more people to learn about dementia so activities like coffee row, family gatherings, and community events can be more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.  In the upcoming months, Jackie will be touring more rural communities in the project area to discuss DSRS and to continue raising awareness about dementia.   

Keep watching our blog for more updates on the DSRS project!

 

Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan is led by the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU) at the University of Regina and is funded by the Government of Canada. 

Related Links:

Dementia Friendly Saskatchewan - Building a more inclusive SaskatchewanDementia Friendly Saskatchewan | Building a more inclusive Saskatchewan