We hope you are staying safe and well. During this time, our phone lines remain open. If you need to reach our counselling staff, or have questions about programs and services, please call 705-722-1066.
We also invite you to keep checking our website to learn about upcoming online events and programs. You will also be able to catch up on any newsletters you may have missed.
Happy reading!
Join us during the month of May and on May 30th as we walk 10,006 steps for the 10,006 people in Simcoe County living with dementia.
Once again, we will be walking virtually and staying safe, all while raising much needed funds that support the programs and services the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County offers to persons living with dementia, their care partners, families, and the public at large.
Walk safely with a team or walk alone, with your dog or with a family member or a friend - do it for dementia. Start a team, join a team or just register yourself. You will make a difference!
For more information about the Walk, and to keep up to date on some of the exciting virtual plans we have in the works, please check our website.
Featuring live virtual musical performances by: B.Knox of Barrie, Sam Johnson of Orillia, Whiskey River of Collingwood and more.
The first 100 to register receive a VIP bag with local treats and a farm-to-glass experience from Quayle’s Brewery.
This year we hope you will Walk 10,006 steps for 10,006 people living with dementia in Simcoe County. If you aren't able to Walk and help raise funds, please consider a donation for this important cause! All funds raised, stay in the community to support people living with dementia, their families and care providers.
To register, please visit our website: here . Space is limited.
Presented by IG Wealth Management with thanks to Quayle’s Brewery.
It’s hard to believe it has been one year since COVID-19 began impacting our community. We thank you for your willingness to try different methods of staying connected with the Alzheimer Society by joining us in our virtual programs.
We know it’s not the same, and we, like you, are eagerly awaiting the resumption of our in-person services. In our attempts to stay connected with you virtually, we have seen some great new programs develop!
While we are still not able to offer in-person programs, we did want to share our plan for moving between the different colour zones as part of the provincial framework. A full version of this can be found in our new Programs Guide for April to June 2021.
We are pleased to be offering the Enhancing Care CARERS program, an accredited and evidence-based program developed by the Sinai Health System Reitman Centre.
To read more about the CARERS program,Click here. If you are interested in participating in the program, please contact Toni Jacobs, Enhancing Care Program Clinician at tjacobs@alzheimersociety.ca
National Volunteer Week (NVW) is April 18-24, 2021. This week is set aside each year to recognize and thank volunteers across Canada for the time and energy they contribute to causes that benefit our communities. NVW is also an opportunity to promote the benefits of volunteering to individuals and society.
The NVW theme for 2021, The Value of One, The Power of Many, reflects on the awe-inspiring acts of kindness by millions of individuals and the magic that happens when working together towards a common purpose. At the Alzheimer Society, we have seen volunteers pivot with staff to provide online programming during this year of COVID-19. Volunteers have delivered Activity Kits into all corners of the County so that those living with dementia have a new activity to capture their interest and brighten their days. Volunteers have telephoned care partners and people living with dementia to help reduce some of the isolation we have all experienced. A group of volunteers has been planning the online Walk for Alzheimer’s which will take place on May 30th.
Yes, one person makes a difference. One person working with one or two or more people makes a bigger difference. We have all felt the power of many people working together this year.
The value of one person calling another to check in.
The power of many people working to prevent social isolation.
The value of one volunteer participating at the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County. The power of 191 volunteers working together with staff to support people living with dementia and their care partners.
The Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County thanks every volunteer for their participation in our programs and services in this challenging year. Your power has helped many!
Like so many of our volunteers, Michael Jackson’s impetus to volunteer with the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County resulted from seeing his grandmother live with Alzheimer’s disease. Mike also watched the effect this had on his mother and the rest of the family.
Recognizing that so much needed to be done to improve management of the disease and enhance the quality of life of those living with dementia, Mike contacted the Society to become a volunteer. He joined the Board of Directors in the fall of 2020. As he began to work with the Board of Directors, he realized that they are a diverse group of people with a depth of skill who share a common goal and genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of those living with dementia and their care partners.
Mike wants the community to know that there are people at all levels of the Society: local, provincial and federal who really want to make a difference. His message to people living with dementia, their care partners, friends and families is that there are many support options and educational opportunities at the local level to help you in your journey with the disease.
You do not need to walk this road alone. There are caring, knowledgeable, well trained people here to help you.
The Honda Canada Foundation Helps Expand the
Alzheimer Society Music Project in Simcoe County
The Alzheimer Society Music Project reconnects people with the soundtrack of their lives by providing MP3 players loaded with personalized music to people living with dementia.
We would like to thank the Honda Canada Foundation (HCF) for their support and for partnering with us to deliver the Music Project to people living with dementia in Simcoe County. Their generous donation of $3,000 ensures our eligibility for a matched donation from the Catherine Booth & Michael Kirk Social Recreation Fund and the Alzheimer Society of Ontario for a total of $9,000.
Our sincere thanks to HCF for making this possible; without them we couldn’t have done it! The monies raised through this matched dollar initiative will ensure that we have a very healthy fund for the Music Project.
Listening to personalized music can be a powerful activity for those with dementia: music has the potential to increase physical and social activity; reignite older memories; and improve sleep, mood, cognition, communication, and overall quality of life. Visit musicproject.ca here to apply.
Be a Superhero by completing your Will and Powers of Attorney this National Superhero Day (April 28)!
Did you know by including a charitable gift to the Alzheimer Society in your Will and Powers of Attorney, you can:
Protect those you care about
Protect your hard-earned assets
Gain peace of mind
Save tax (Who doesn’t want to save tax?)
Help save the world from the dark shadow of dementia!
With dementia on the rise, it is staggering that:
Over 70% of Canadians do not have Powers of Attorney for Care and Property
Over 50% of Canadians do not have a Will
Only around 15% of those who do have a Will leave a charitable gift in their estate plans—despite this being an excellent way to save tax.
You have the power to act now! Defeat the dark shadow of dementia by becoming a Superhero this National Superhero Day and completing your Will and Powers of Attorney.
Click here to download our free Superhero Will Planner & Guide. For more information and resources for completing your Will and Power of Attorneys, click here .
It’s that time of the year again to start preparing for tax season. It is important to file an income tax return to apply for and receive benefits and credits you are entitled to.
To help you with filing your taxes, we have put together a Tax Credit Guide for Ontarians Living with Dementia and their Care Partners filled with useful tips to get ready, key dates, and more.
Download your copy of the Tax Credit Guide for Ontarians Living with Dementia & Care Partners here.
The Government of Ontario launched a provincial booking system on March 15, 2021. If you are eligible for a vaccine, you can book your own appointment or have a trusted individual make one on your behalf. Visit covid-19.ontario.ca to book both your first and second doses. When booking an appointment, individuals will be asked for information from their green Ontario health card, birth date, postal code and email address and/or phone number.
If you have questions about whether you are currently eligible for a vaccine, visit the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) website for up to date information www.simcoemuskokahealth.org .
Sinai Health's Healthy Ageing and Geriatrics program, in partnership with the National Institute on Ageing (NIA), has released a guidance document titled COVID-19 Vaccines: What Older Canadians Need to Know .
This document outlines common questions arising among older Canadians, their families and caregivers regarding COVID-19 vaccines, along with evidence-informed answers to help keep Canadians up to date on the facts.
People living with Alzheimer’s and dementia are especially vulnerable at this time, if you are able to, please consider supporting the essential services and programs that benefit this community.
