Alzheimer Society Canada reports that “564,000 Canadians are currently living with dementia, [and] 25,000 new cases of dementia are diagnosed every year.” This equates to 1.1 million Canadians directly or indirectly affected by Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.

In a previous blog, we answered the question, “What is Alzheimer’s disease?”. While understanding the background and history of the disease is important, being informed on recent breakthroughs is as well. Alzheimer’s disease research is evolving, and we want to help keep you in the loop. Origin Active Lifestyle Communities is here to provide you with a few recent breakthroughs that bring us hope and a further understanding of the disease itself.

As Alzheimer's disease continues to grow and affect more and more people, awareness spreads. With awareness comes a desire to learn and a desire to understand. Origin Active Lifestyle Communities understands this need, and we are happy to be a resource that provides additional information to you and your family.

Roughly 43 percent of those dealing with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in Canada receive assistance from a formal caregiver or a memory care community. It can be challenging to come to terms with the reality that a close friend is living with memory loss or residing in a memory care community. You may start to feel a disconnect from that friend, but it is important to focus on what you still have with that friend. Origin wants to help you stay connected and engaged with those close to you, even if they are living in a memory care community. Here are some things to keep in mind when dealing with a friend in memory care:

The challenge of caring for a family member with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia is insurmountable for most people. It requires full-time caregiving with specialized skills and extraordinary patience. Considering that many adults with an aging parent have jobs and families of their own, they can't afford the time to devote to that type of care.