Friends, families and members of the Cowichan Valley community all experience the personal and social impact of dementia. It’s not just their disease. It’s ours too.
That’s why the Alzheimer Society of B.C. is asking residents to be #InItForAlz and show support for people affected by the disease in the Valley.
“It’s about making dementia not just someone else’s problem but everyone’s concern. Dementia should be a cause that we can all rally around because we embrace people living with the disease,” said Shanan St. Louis, the Society’s Minds in Motion coordinator for Cowichan and the North and Central Vancouver Island Region.
“Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affect thousands of families in British Columbia,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is an opportunity to learn more about how we can support people in our community who are living with the disease.”
Dementia doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone. That’s why actor and writer Jill Daum is getting behind #InItForAlz. Jill’s husband, John Mann of Spirit of the West, was diagnosed with young-onset dementia in 2014.
“This is a cause that’s close to my heart and I’m proud to lend my support to the campaign,” Daum said. “John felt that there was a stigma attached to it and he wanted to be able to be honest, open and not feel any shame around his diagnosis.
“We need to get over our uneasiness about dementia and start to recognize and talk about it more openly,” said Daum, who lives with Mann in Vancouver.
Cowichan residents, too, can be #InItForAlz. Visit alzheimerbc.org to learn about the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s support services in the area and make a donation to help people in the province who are living with the disease. You can also use the hashtag #InItForAlz to spread the word that “it’s not just their disease. It’s ours too.”
Quick facts sidebar
• Dementia doesn’t define a person. They’re still the same individual as they were before their diagnosis.
• People with dementia can continue the things they love and remain active in their communities with the right help and support.
• Alzheimer Societies across Canada provide programs and support services to help people with all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and their caregivers to live as well as possible.