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 communications@alzon.ca. 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 416-967-5900.
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:
Thank you for making kind-nections with us!
Lisa shares her connection to the Alzheimer Society
BrainsCAN survey shows Alzheimer Society support leads to $1.3B in health-care savings
February is Black History Month
Send a little love this Valentine’s Day!
Tax Season is Upon Us! Are You Prepared?
Thank you for making kind-nections with us!
Our first-ever Quest for Kindness was a huge success and we have YOU to thank!
Together, thousands of kind-nections were made across Canada, and thanks to the support of Healthing, we were able to stay connected virtually and see our communities light up the Kind-nections Map one act at a time!
Every dollar that was raised is going to make an immediate impact in your community by allowing people living with dementia, their care partners, and their families access the education, counselling, and social recreation programs they need most.
Thank you for choosing kindness for over 500,000 people living with dementia in Canada—a number that will continue to rise.
Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts. We look forward to seeing you again at next year’s Quest for Kindness!
Lisa shares her connection to the Alzheimer Society
WRITTEN BY LISA MACHADO
There’s never a time when losing a loved one is easy. But over more than a decade that my dad lived with dementia, the sense of grief was uniquely devastating. Watching someone you love slowly disappear intellectually — their memory, their smile, their voice — while their physical being remains is a most exquisitely painful mourning process. It was the longest goodbye — and it took a huge toll on our family.
For my mom especially, who was my dad’s primary caregiver, it was the connections with others who shared our experience with dementia that helped her to not only keep her life moving forward during a very difficult time, but this support also guided us in navigating the long-term care system so that my dad, and others like him, could get better care. These connections also helped us to advocate for improved health policy around the treatments for brain diseases and raise awareness of the importance of dignity and humanity for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and their families.
This is the mission of Healthing — connecting Canadians to the information, resources, and people they need to navigate the difficult health issues they and their families are facing, while inspiring the need to advocate for a better healthcare.
Check us out at healthing.ca, I’d love to hear what you think. And if you have a story you think we should be telling, we’d love to know about it.
BrainsCAN survey shows Alzheimer Society support leads to $1.3B in health-care savings
A new survey report from Western University’s BrainsCAN, in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, found programs and services provided by the province’s 27 Societies deliver savings of $1.3 billion for Ontario’s health-care system.
To access the full report and to hear Deb and Bruce’s story, click here.
February is Black History Month
Based on information collected from the US & UK, did you know that dementia impacts Black communities at higher rates with some studies showing they are two times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia?
This Black History Month, we honour all Black Canadians and those who may be living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. To learn more about the work we’re doing in regards to race and dementia in Canada, please visit our webpage here.
Send a little love this Valentine's Day!
Celebrate Valentine's Day by sending a heart to residents of long-term care homes in your community! 💕💖💘
Send a little love with our printable Valentine's Day cards and add in your own personalized message to show them how much you care.
It’s that time of year again—tax season. Whether you love it or hate it, the best thing to do is be prepared—especially if you’re a caregiver living in Ontario! You may even be eligible to receive tax credits.
Not sure what information you’ll need? Check out our blog series on everything a caregiver should know before doing their taxes!
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 communications@alzon.ca
