Caregiver Recognition Day

The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba celebrates the hard work and efforts of dementia caregivers in Manitoba during Caregiver Recognition Day on Tuesday, April 2.

Manitobans caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia spend over nine million hours of informal unpaid care. With our aging population and an ever increasing number of people diagnosed, this number is going to skyrocket to over 22 million by the year 2038.

Caregivers provide a valuable service which can sometimes come at a physical, emotional or financial cost to individuals and families. We need to take care of our caregivers today to ensure a better quality of life for both the caregiver and the person living with the disease.

Please join us as we unite to celebrate caregivers.

The Manitoba Caregiver Recognition Day event 

Click here to view the official invite.

Click for more information about Caregiver Recognition Day.

Caregiving – A Full Time Job

Familiar faces and enthusiastic greetings jump start Audrey Kirkpatrick’s morning. She’s back to meet with old friends at the Alzheimer Society, friends who know her story and are happy to catch up.

Audrey`s husband, Duke, has Alzheimer`s disease. Because their children live in different parts of western Canada, Audrey is his primary caregiver. After Duke was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Audrey knew the caregiver role was going to change her life.

“It’s not easy. You deal with it from the time you open your eyes in the morning until you go to bed at night. It changes you. You don’t sleep properly, you don’t eat properly, you don’t do anything properly,” says Audrey.

Once diagnosed, Duke became involved in the Alzheimer`s Society`s Support Group sessions for people living with dementia. While Duke participated in the group sessions, Audrey could visit with spouses and other caregivers to talk about their similar situations.

“I’ve made such good friends. We try to get together whenever we can. It’s wonderful. Unless you’ve lived it, you have no idea what you’re dealing with. It’s a horrible disease to go through.”

After a day program for older adults didn’t work for Duke, and his Alzheimer’s was too progressed for the Support Group sessions, Audrey knew it was time for him to live in a personal care home. Duke has been living at Golden Links Lodge for over a year and a half now.

“When I lost the day program and Support Group, it felt like there were no resources for me. When he went in to Golden Links, it was such a feeling of relief to know it was no longer going to be my responsibility.”

Audrey still needed someone to talk to, so she went for counselling. The counsellor couldn’t change her situation, but she could listen.

“She must have had an ear as big as a bus, because I laid everything on her. She let me go on and on, kept me supplied with tissues, and I sort of got that out of my system. And then I started to live my life.”

Between a fitness class, yoga, knitting and golf in the summer, Audrey keeps busy. She says support networks are essential for caregivers of people with dementia. April 2nd is National Caregiver Recognition Day, and Audrey is thankful for the support she receives from other caregivers for people with dementia. More importantly, she’s thankful for the friends she’s made through the Alzheimer Society.

“The best thing I did was to go to the Alzheimer Society. It was a lifesaver. It’s so important because of the friendships and support. Everyone basically goes through the same thing. You get to talk about your problems, and learn there are other people who are having the same problems as you. It’s a godsend.”

Click for more information about Alzheimer Society Support Groups.

20 Years of Excellence in Leadership

Sylvia Rothney is retiring as CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. Thank you Sylvia, for your passionate and visionary leadership over the past 20 years. Join us for Sylvia’s retirement celebration and help welcome incoming CEO, Wendy Schettler.

Caregiver Tips

Walking is one of the easiest ways for someone to be physically active. Here are tips to help you enjoy walking and remain safe at the same time:

• Sylvia farewell web Think about walking as an opportunity to stay healthy and actively socialize with family and friends.
• Ask your doctor of any walking precautions related to your health and/or prescribed medications.
• Set reasonable goals and start gradually.
• Keep safe – walk in a group, do not wear jewelry or headphones and be aware of your surroundings.
• Wear proper shoes and comfortable clothes.
• Do a warm up, some stretching and a cool down to avoid sore and stiff muscles.

Click for information on how being active may reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Upcoming Family Education

Provincial Family Education

2013 Family Education Calendar of Events

Delirium: Understanding What It Is
and Knowing What To Do

LWAD Winnipeg

Redefining Companionship & Intimacy Amidst Dementia

Regional Family Education

What You Need to Know About Dementia

Community Education – Springfield Public Library

• Tuesday, April 2
  The Road Ahead – Starting the Journey
• Tuesday, April 16
  On the Road – Middle Stage
• Tuesday, April 30
  At the Crossroads – Making Those Difficult Decisions
• Tuesday, May 14
  Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease: The Link Between Brain & Behaviour

LWAD Westman

Dementia Facts!  

Upcoming Events

Investors Group Memory Walk 2013

We’re steppin’ it up for dementia! Join the Alzheimer Society on Thursday, June 13 at The Forks for the 2013 Investors Group Memory Walk.

It’s a day to join together and walk united in support of all people with dementia.

Gather your family, friends and co-workers and form a team – or register as an individual. Visit www.alzheimer.mb.ca/MemoryWalk2013/, or call 204-943-6622 to find a walk in your community today!

Updates

Carman Ukrainian Alzheimer Awareness Dinner

This year’s event, held Friday, February 22 in Carmen, MB, was a great success! Guests savoured the delicious Ukrainian menu of beet borsht, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, sausage, perogies, coleslaw and dessert. Everyone enjoyed entertainment by Spring Thaw, a contemporary Blue Grass band from Winnipeg, and an exciting dance performance by Dana Malenko from Selkirk.

Over the past 10 years, more than $25,000 has been raised in support of the Alzheimer Society. Thank you to Bob Kowalchuk, volunteers, guests and sponsors for making this event a great success!

LebowskiPalooza

Thanks to Trent, Nigel, Heath, the volunteers and all the people who attended LebowskiPalooza 2013 on Saturday, March 2. The event was a huge success, raising $1,754 for the Alzheimer Society. Your support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to LebowskiPalooza 2014!

Chili Cook-Off

Over 100 people made it out to the 18th Annual Alzheimer Society’s Chili Cook-off held on Friday, March 15 at Houston’s Country Roadhouse in Brandon, MB! Diners payed $10 for a delicious bowl of their favorite chili, a drink and a Kuipers Family Bakery bun.

Congratulations to the following winners:

• People’s Choice: Red Hot REALTORS – Brandon Real Estate Board
• No Holes Barred: Red Hot REALTORS – Brandon Real Estate Board
• Fuel Injected: Four Horsemen – Royal Oak Inn & Suites
• The Good, The Bad and The Mild (all around best chili): Hot Chili Mama – Rideau Park Personal Care Home

Thanks to our judges Larry DeVries, Arlene Wolfe and Darryl Wolski. Thanks also to our competitors, guests, volunteers and sponsors including Houstons Country Roadhouse and Kuipers Family Bakery.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

It was “Top of the morning” to the Alzheimer Society when Ron Guina presented the proceeds from his annual St Patrick’s Day Celebration held Sunday, March 17.  This year’s donation of $1,365 tops all the previous years!  Thanks to Ron, Cindy and all the guests who enjoyed Irish stew, a pint or two of Guinness and all the other treats that were served.  A special thank you to Ron’s dad, brother and sister who came from Saskatoon for the event!

HyLife Fun Days

Many thanks to the employees, management, owners, suppliers and business partners of HyLife for participating in HyLife Fun Days last weekend and donating $20,000 to the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. This is such an amazing gift that it rendered our Events Manager, Trudy Mattey, speechless! Thank you so much for choosing the Alzheimer Society.

Touch Quilt Project

Mary Duncan School in The Pas recently participated in the Touch Quilt Project. They received kits from us, and made 12 quilts to donate to St. Paul’s Personal Care Home in The Pas. Click here to watch a video made by Mary Duncan School EA Lisa Skumolski, who headed up the project. Way to go Mary Duncan School!

Notes

Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is Seeking Applicants for their Home Care Advisory Council

• Are you interested in helping make improvements to the Home Care Program and the quality of life for those receiving Home Care services?
• Would you like to be part of a constructive and collaborative approach to bring client and family perspectives forward?
• Are you able to volunteer for a term of 2 or 3 years – attending 6-8 meetings between September and May?

The WRHA is establishing a Home Care Advisory Council to receive input from recipients of Home Care services and their families.  For further information about this opportunity and to receive an application form contact the Alzheimer Society or Colleen Schneider, Manager, Community Health Advisory Councils, WRHA, 486 Hargrave St. Winnipeg, MB  R3A 0X7  Phone: (204) 940-8569 or at cschneider1@wrha.mb.ca   Application deadline is Friday, May 3, 2013.

Board Member Opportunities Available

Is this the leadership opportunity for you? The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba is seeking candidates for two Board Member positions. Applications are being accepted until April 19, 2013.Click HERE for more information.