By Diane Weidner
Never before has there been so much attention focused on Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, there are more than 747,000 Canadians living with dementia, with 25,000 new diagnoses every year.
Behind each one of those numbers is a caregiver’s story. Many of these people lack support, need to speak with others about their struggles and better understand the disease in all its stages. Their wellbeing is at stake, as is the wellbeing of those for whom they’re caring.
We invite you read about Claire Webster’s personal journey as a caregiver to her late mother in this article published in Mitsou Magazine: Alzheimer: A Caregiver’s Story.
McGill has partnered with Alzheimer’s Care Consultant and Facilitator Claire Webster to offer workshops that help educate and support family caregivers who are looking after a loved with a dementia-related illnesses.
Under the academic leadership of Dr. José Morais, Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at McGill University, these workshops focus on the most important elements that caregivers need to know regarding dementia and its associated behavioural and psychological symptoms. A theory component helps family members prepare for the journey of caring for someone who has the disease, including best practices for ensuring their own well-being as caregivers.
Monthly sessions, offered in both French and English, take place at the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning and include a real-life scenario component in the simulated apartment to educate caregivers on how to create a safe home environment.
Through education and empowerment, these workshops will help support caregivers and provide them with the necessary resources to turn to in the community for support. For more details, please consult our website. Our next workshop will take place on March 28, 2019.
February 15, 2019