(Re)connecting in Community
Learn more about how the Alzheimer Society has been connecting with communities throughout the province to ensure they have the support they need to live well with dementia.
We were honoured to receive an invitation to - and attend - the Ochapowace Nation Health Fair on November 4th. The event followed an interdisciplinary and traditional approach to health and wellness and began with a smudging ceremony and prayers sang by Elders and community members.
Several schools attended the event and the students who came to talk to us were curious about brain health and how to prevent dementia as they grow and age. Other community members shared their personal experiences with dementia, while others expressed concern about possible memory loss in people they know. We were able to provide everyone with resources from Indigenous Cognition & Aging Awareness Research Exchange (I-CAARE) with information around what dementia is, its ten warning signs, how to reduce your risk, and how to contact the Alzheimer Society.
We were pleased to be able to connect and share resources with other health care professionals who serve the people of Ochapowace Nation. We hope to continue these relationships in the future and we thank everyone in Ochapowace Nation for their tremendous hospitality!
Our dementia friendly initiatives focus on empowering and engaging individuals and our communities of all types and sizes to become more dementia friendly by learning about dementia, reducing stigma, and building understanding.
To learn more, please see our website.
Home Heath Aide Workshop
On September 21st, we attended Indigenous Services Canada’s Home Health Aide Workshop in Saskatoon. The event hosted over 90 Home Health Aides working in communities across the province.
Judy Der, our First Link® Coordinator who serves the Battlefords and Northwest Saskatchewan region, along with Laura Erickson-Lumb, First Link® Coordinator for Prince Albert and Northeast Saskatchewan, shared information specific to care partners of people living with dementia and our First Link® Program.
Nurse Practitioner’s Conference
Our First Link® Coordinator, Windel Bucknor, represented the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan at the 18th Annual Nurse Practitioner Education Conference, hosted by the Saskatchewan Association of Nurse Practitioners. The conference centred around supporting Nurse Practitioners in rural and urban areas.
One of the Alzheimer Society’s goals is to reach and serve more clients from rural and remote areas. By attending the conference and networking with numerous Nurse Practitioners throughout the province, we were able to share information about our programs, services, and rural resource centres and discuss how to refer individuals, families, and care partners to our community of support.
First Link® is a program of the Alzheimer Society that connects people with dementia and their families to a community of support. Our First Link® Coordinators provide information, support services, and education as early as possible and throughout the progression of the disease.
For more information about our First Link® Program, please see our website.
Connecting with First Link® means you can:
- Receive one-on-one support specific to your situation;
- Be connected to Alzheimer Society programs to learn more about the disease, coping strategies, communication, planning for the future, and receive tools and supports;
- Be referred to local healthcare providers and other community services.
The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan also works with health practitioners to build awareness about the First Link® program and the benefits of referring their patients to us.