We hope this newsletter finds you well. Take some time to read through the content and implement some of these tricks into your daily life. If you have feedback or suggestions on content you would like to see, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know at write@alz.to. We would love to hear from you.
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 416-322-6560.
We also invite you to keep checking the online portal 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!
In this edition:
What's happening in Toronto? Local events, social recreation programs, webinars, and more!
Give Local this Holiday Season
What does kindness mean to you? Find out during the Quest for Kindness!
Survey: Improving Homecare for People living with Dementia in Ontario
Survey: Potential Impact of the Drug Aducanumab
Tips for Care Partners: Managing Holiday Stress
Happy Holidays from the Alzheimer Society!
What's happening in Toronto? Local events, social recreation programs, webinars, and more!
TEACH (Training, Education, and Assistance for Caregiving at Home)
When: January 11, 18, 25, & February 1, 2022 | 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
The TEACH Program helps caregivers to get the “lay of the land” by focusing on four common caregiving themes: caregiver self-care, healthcare system navigation, relationship changes, and future planning. Caregivers are supported to identify and address their caregiving needs and have opportunities to share and learn from each other.
Please contact Enhancing Care Project Lead Katie MacLean at 416-985-5752 or email kmaclean@alz.to for more information.
Meaningful Activities (for Care Partners)
When: Monday, December 6 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Learn the importance of meaningful activities for people with dementia or their family members. Demonstrate importance of sensory stimulation for people with dementia. Employ additional strategies and resources for creating meaningful activities for people with dementia.
Explore some of the unique challenges and issues that can arise when caring from a distance, as well as identify the different ways caregivers can provide support and be involved in the person’s life.
Workshop: Understanding Behaviours and Supportive Communication
When: Thursday, December 2 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
This workshop provides an overview of behaviours in dementia and communicating in a supportive manner. It will focus on providing participants with the knowledge of how behaviours and communication can change over the course of the disease and ways to supportively communicate with a person living with dementia.
Workshop: Care Partner Stress and Building Resilience
When: Thursday, December 9 | 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
This workshop is to help care partners identify their sources of stress and develop coping strategies. The focus of the session will be on exploring the concept of resilience and ways to build care partner resilience.
Folk, Jazz, and Tango Xenia Concert with Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolak
When: Sunday, December 12 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Xenia Concerts presents in partnership with TO Live: Folk, Jazz, and Tango with Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolak. This concert will be broadcasted live from the Janet Mallett Theatre on Zoom. Bridge & Wolak are a globe-trotting music & comedy duo, combining traditional acoustic instruments with 21st century digital technology. Michael Bridge (accordions & piano) and Kornel Wolak (clarinet & piano) perform their original brand of fusion repertoire, drawing from their classical roots and love of folk and jazz music. With deft virtuosity and endless wit, Bridge & Wolak have been called the “Victor Borges of the 21st Century.” Fun-loving gentlemen (with seven degrees in music), they are both globe-trotting musicians and educators. “Watch and be amazed!" — CBC
Special thank you to our partnership with Xenia Concerts, George C. Hunt Family Foundation, and TO Live for sponsoring this event.
For any questions, please contact Katie Berkelmans, Recreation and Volunteer Programs Manager at kberkelmans@alz.to .
Virtual Art Talks with Art Gallery Ontario (AGO)
When: Monthly on Tuesdays | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM December 21, January 18, February 15, March 15
The AGO is offering engaging small group virtual art talks helping to explore their collection through conversation, exchanging ideas and observations about the selected artworks. This is a one-hour virtual art talk hosted on Zoom. The program is designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. The art talk is facilitated by an experienced AGO Art Educator and is supported by Alzheimer Society of Toronto’s volunteers.
When: Tuesdays on December 7, 14, 21 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Thursdays on December 2, 9, 16, 23 | 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Join us for Non-Impact Aerobics (NIA) online with Jennifer! Non-Impact Aerobics uses easy to follow movements to build strength and flexibility while conditioning your body. The sessions are adapted and sensitive to all levels of agility and are suitable for individuals who want the support of being seated throughout the class. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear.
This program is offered 2x weekly, on Tuesdays (10 AM - 11 AM) and Thursdays (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM). Please sign up for your days of choice.
For any questions, please contact Katie Berkelmans, Recreation and Volunteer Programs Manager at kberkelmans@alz.to .
Music with Justis
When: Mondays on December 6, 13, 20 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Enjoy an hour of popular oldies, provided by Justis, a Music Therapist with Miya Music Therapy.
Click here to register for the dates of your choice.
For any questions, please contact Katie Berkelmans, Recreation and Volunteer Programs Manager at kberkelmans@alz.to .
Active Living Programs Over the Holidays
Mindfulness and Movement Yoga
When: Wednesday, December 29 | 10:30AM to 11:30 AM
Join us for a special online yoga class over the holidays. This will be an opportunity to participate in mindful movement and meditation to revitalize your body, mind, and spirit. This class will include simple gentle exercises and all levels are welcome. Chair poses, standing poses and floor poses will be offered and participants are encouraged to practice according to their unique needs and preferences.
For any questions, please contact Katie Berkelmans, Recreation and Volunteer Programs Manager at kberkelmans@alz.to .
Creative Arts - Beach Scene
When: Thursday, December 30 | 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Join Juliana to create your own Beach Scene masterpiece! Juliana will guide participants step-by-step through a beach themed art project. Please come prepared to the program with materials you have available to you at home (oil pastels, soft pastels, pencil crayons, regular crayons, markers, paint, etc.).
This program is in partnership with Neilson Park Creative Centre.
For any questions, please contact Katie Berkelmans, Recreation and Volunteer Programs Manager at kberkelmans@alz.to .
Give Local this Holiday Season
The importance of supporting local communities, businesses, and charitable initiatives has been amplified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
This holiday season is no different.
Celebrate the season of giving and be there for your community and local Alzheimer Society by making a special, year-end gift.
With your holiday gift, you will be giving the 46,000 people living with dementia in Toronto access the education, counselling, and social recreation programs they rely on most.
Make a gift by midnight on December 31 and you’ll be able to get a 2021 tax receipt!
What does kindness mean to you? Find out during the Quest for Kindness!
While kindness means something different to each of us, it is a universal language that everyone understands.
To the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, kindness is all about making our connections matter by doing good and creating friendlier communities for those impacted by dementia.
There are so many ways that you can help make your community a friendlier place for those living with dementia! The easiest way? Registering for the Quest for Kindness and making at least 30 kind-nections from January 1 to 29!
Tips for Care Partners: Managing Holiday Stress & Celebration Ideas
Making the holidays meaningful for a person living with dementia, as well as creating an environment that minimizes the mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that comes along with being a care partner can be a challenge, and even more so this year with the pandemic. The holidays can bring additional feelings of stress, so to help you create meaningful holiday celebrations for the person you care for, and help you feel less overwhelmed, we have put together some tips that you can implement this holiday season!
Do only the occasions and traditions that are most important to you and your family like watching holiday movies, listening to holiday music, or decorating cookies!
Keep celebrations short.
Involve the person living with dementia in the preparations and decorating
The Alzheimer Society of Canada is looking for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and individuals who have been treated with Aduhelm (aducanumab) to talk about their experience.
The Alzheimer Society will be making a submission to CADTH to ensure that the voices of people with lived experience are represented and considered during the review process. We would like to speak with people with Alzheimer's disease or MCI and people who have treatment experience with Aduhelm (aducanumab).
You do not need to live in Canada to respond to this survey.
The English survey is available here.
The French survey is available here.
Specific caregiver surveys are linked within each of the surveys. Please complete this survey by December 16.
The data will be used in submissions to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health and the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux.
Happy Holidays from the Alzheimer Society!
From our family at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto to yours, we wish you the very best this Holiday season! Thank you for your dedicated support this year.
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.
Our mailing address is:
20 Eglinton Ave. W., 16th floor
Toronto, ON M4R 1K8 write@alz.to
