Alzheimer’s group helps families on their journey

When Doug Adams first approached the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba three years ago seeking resources to help his mother, he said the real benefit was realizing he wasn’t alone.

September marks the 15th annual World Alzheimer’s Month, a designation meant to bring attention to the disease and encourage people to learn more about it.

Adams and his twin brother, David, are caregivers for their mother, Ada. She’s 92 years old and lives with Alzheimer’s dementia — a degenerative and terminal disease that causes gradual cognitive decline, changes in behaviour and physical capabilities, and memory loss.

“Because of her needs, we got involved with the Alzheimer Society and they’ve been a huge support,” Adams said in an interview on Thursday.

Adams and his brother joined a group for adult children who are caregivers for their parents that provides support, ideas and suggestions to attendees.

“It’s the kind of thing that helps you in the journey, and it is a journey because you see things changing … and you adapt, and change, and that’s good,” Adams said.

“It’s better to laugh than cry,” he said. “They’ve helped teach us that it’s OK to laugh along with the person with dementia.”

Adams said in many ways, Ada’s sense of humour has gotten stronger than it was before her diagnosis.

“Mom has a wicked sense of humour and a quick wit,” he laughed.

One thing that has helped their family is continuing to do the things that Ada enjoyed doing before being diagnosed, but in a different capacity.

Ada loves shopping and going out to eat, so trips to the mall or Applebee’s for the double-crunch shrimp or Swiss Chalet for chicken are commonly part of Doug, David and Ada’s family time.

“She took good care of us and raised us well, so now it’s our turn to help her when she needs it,” Adams said.

He said he’s grateful to have access to a support place inside Brandon.

“It’s so important to have these facilities and offices in local areas so that people can access them,” he said.

Adams encourages other caregivers to look after their own well-being and to utilize the support and programs the Alzheimer Society offers.

Waiting in the Brandon office to help respond is Christine Jefferies, the regional co-ordinator for the Westman region.

“(We’re) just being that ear on the other end of the phone so they can vent about their situation in a safe, confidential spot,” Jefferies said.

The interaction starts with questions, answers “and getting to know your story a bit better, so from there we can kind of pull resources,” she said.

Some of the services available through the Brandon office include opportunities for physician-led physical activity, sensory items for people late in their diagnosis, and several support groups — either for people who have been diagnosed, partners or children of people diagnosed, or just a coffee chat to talk.

Jefferies said education and awareness are a big part of World Alzheimer’s Month.

“There (are) so many people that are touched by dementia … and so being a little more educated on how to help somebody in your community going through those changes and knowing some of the resources, we can all do a better job of caring for those folks in the community,” Jefferies said.

Alzheimer’s can be a very isolating disease, said Erin Crawford, chief executive officer of the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba.

“World Alzheimer’s Month is really an opportunity for us to try to connect with Manitobans around the subject of Alzheimer’s or dementia,” Crawford said Thursday.

“I hope that people who, in August, didn’t know about the Alzheimers Society, and didn’t know what to do if they were concerned, that by the end of September they know what to do,” she said.

» rgerrard@brandonsun.com