Knowledge and Action Change Everything

There’s knowledge and then there’s action. Yorkton Public Library (YPL), who is a participating organization in the Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan project, has taken meaningful steps towards increasing both in terms of their dementia friendliness. After completing a staff training event with our Dementia Community Coordinator in February, YPL staff are more aware of person-centred approaches to support people living with dementia and their care partners. Since the training, they have also made some changes to the physical environment of the branch to enhance its accessibility.

In essence, YPL has created a space where knowledge meets action to better serve their patrons. We admire YPL’s ongoing community leadership and celebrate their contributions towards building a more dementia friendly Saskatchewan.  

On May 7^th, Yorkton Public Library has arranged for our Dementia Community Coordinator to lead our first in-person ABC’s of Dementia presentation since the COVID-19 pandemic began! The event is free for all to attend and focuses on the 10 evidence-based warning signs and the importance of a timely diagnosis. The presentation will take place:

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Yorkton Public Library

93 Broadway St. W, Yorkton, SK

2 – 3 pm CST

Other Updates from the Project Area:

• On April 1^st, nearly 30 people from Yorkton, Melville, and the surrounding rural communities attended the Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan virtual Community Table. Individuals from a variety of business sectors were present, including Mitch Hippsley, Mayor of Yorkton, and Everett Hindley, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors, and Rural and Remote Health. The increased interest from our stakeholders suggests that people in the project area are recognizing the project efforts and the need to help people with dementia to live better.

• On April 20^th and 21^st, the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery of Yorkton, who is also a collaborating organization in Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan, will launch a month-long mini-showcase for their project, Belong Where you Find Yourself. The showcase will feature art pieces from local people living with dementia and/or their care partners, along with general dementia and dementia friendly communities information from the Alzheimer Society. 

• Parkland Valley Sport, Culture, & Recreation District is hiring a facilitator to conduct audits of indoor and outdoor public environments in small communities around Yorkton and Melville. The facilitator will work with people living with dementia and their caregivers to provide recommendations for better accessibility and more dementia friendly considerations. More information can be found on their website.

• We have finalized our Alzheimer Society – Pharmacy Toolkit to support local pharmacists and pharmacy staff to better support those who live with dementia. Our Dementia Community Coordinator, Jackie, will be reaching out to pharmacies in the project area soon to discuss this new resource and how it can be adapted and applied for each store and community.