January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month – an opportunity to better understand the realities of those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, as well as their caregivers.
Today more than 500,000 Canadians are living with some form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease – a number that is expected to continue to rise as the population ages. While early diagnosis and prevention are key factors in dementia care, knowing some of the signs such as memory loss, challenges with familiar tasks, communication problems and mixing up dates and places may be things to watch for.
Each January, the Alzheimer Society of Canada supports and leads Canada’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. During this month, the Society encourages individuals to learn more about dementia and its stark impact on Canadians. And while Alzheimer’s Awareness Month may stop at the end of January, the experiences of people who live with dementia do not. To find out more about Alzheimer’s visit https://alzheimer.ca/en.
Memory Activity Kits available at the Champlain Library
The Champlain Library has Memory Activity Kits available to help support family members and caregivers of people living with, or at risk for, varying stages of cognitive impairment. The kits include selected tools, such as prepared activities, games and workbooks that encourage social engagement and support skills and abilities. The kits are available as a result of the Champlain Library being one of the successful recipients of a Community Grant Program. Walmart in Hawkesbury provided $1,000 to help strengthen and support the community where their associates live and work.
During the month of January, the library will also have a display of books on the subject of Alzheimer’s and steps to help prevent dementia and sharpen your mind. Try out an exercise in the library to “exercise your marbles” by guessing how many marbles are in a jar. You could be the lucky winner of a book of crossword puzzles.
For more information about the Champlain Library visit bc-cl.ca or call the library at 613-678-2216.
