January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that destroys brain cells, leading to a decline in thinking ability and memory over time. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging and is irreversible.
While Alzheimer’s disease has always been around, attempts to understand and identify the disease and its effects did not emerge until very recently in human history. The earliest known case of Alzheimer’s was from a German woman in 1890.
Jennifer Sims, Grande Prairie Regional Manager for the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and NWT, explained how they can provide assistance to people in more rural areas.
“Being in rural and remote areas is harder all the time and we’re lucky enough with the Alzheimer’s Society to have some silver linings that come from COVID in the past. We’ve really been able to take our programs and services and bring them online, and with our regional offices in Yellowknife, Fort McMurray, Grand Prairie, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, we’ve been able to increase our support areas. “
With all these new online services, the Alzheimer’s Society has been able to reach many more people in the NWT and Alberta as long as they have access to the internet.
Sims shared what the process usually is when a person is first diagnosed.
“So in a perfect world, there are 10 diagnosing doctors who offer the person living with dementia, as well as a care partner, the opportunity to contact the Alzheimer’s Society through the First Length referral programme. This in turn is sent to our office and we do a reception with them. We then offer them a range of services and resources and call them several times a year.”
The Alzheimer’s Society website can be found by clicking here.
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