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#InItForAlz

Tuesday, 10 January 2017 06:44

"We need to get over our uneasiness about dementia and start to recognize and talk about it more openly."

January is Alzheimer's awareness month. 

Every year over 25,000 Canadians are told they have dementia and currently over 2,000 people in Oxford County are suffering from some sort of dementia. The Alzheimer Society of Oxford County is joining their national branch in asking Canadians to be #InItForAlz and support research to help eliminate this disease. Executive Director of the local society Shelley Green tells Heart FM they are here to help anyone suffering from dementia in Oxford County. 

"We have a wide range of services for people, both family members, friends and people living with dementia. We also provide training and education for people working in long term care facilities, as well as in the community so we have better information on how to provide compassionate care to those with the diagnosis." 

The hashtag In-It-For-Alz campaign is designed to change the conversation about a disease that continues to be shrouded in silence. Dementia is one of the fastest-growing diseases of our time, but still has no cure or effective treatments.

That’s why Darren Dreger, a Hockey Insider at TSN, is getting behind #InItForAlz. His 76-year-old step father, Ervin, who lives in Saskatchewan, was recently diagnosed with dementia. 

"This is a cause that’s close to my heart and I’m proud to lend my support to the campaign. We need to get over our uneasiness about dementia and start to recognize and talk about it more openly. Research is top priority if we’re to find a cure for people like my step dad. And we need research into better resources for caregivers like my mom." 

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