Contributed
“You have dementia.”
It’s a phrase being heard by an ever-increasing number of Vernon residents during a medical appointment.
To help them understand this pressing health issue, the non-profit Alzheimer Society of B.C. brings its free workshop, Getting to Know Dementia, to Vernon Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Participants will receive basic information on dementia and the impact it has on individuals, their caregivers and their support networks.
The introductory session reviews the challenges of receiving a diagnosis of dementia. Participants will learn about the different types of support available throughout the dementia journey, how to begin planning for the future, and strategies for living well.
This session is intended for people experiencing early symptoms of dementia, as well as family members or friends who are currently supporting a person with a recent dementia diagnosis. The workshop is not intended for the general public or health-care providers.
The free workshop runs from 1 to 3 p.m. at the People Place, 3402 – 27th Avenue. Pre-registration is required by contacting Sherry Wezner 1-800-634-3399 or swezner@alzheimerbc.org. Wezner and Carly Gronlund are the Society’s support and education coordinators for the North and Central Okanagan.
The workshop is free thanks to partial funding from the province of B.C. and the Provincial Employees Community Services Fund, RBC Foundation, NWM Private Giving Foundation, Seacliff Foundation, The Phyliss and Irving Snider Foundation, The 1988 Foundation, Margaret Rothweiler Charitable Foundation, Frank and Yvonne McCracken Foundation, Wheeler Family Foundation, The Belmont Foundation, Paul Lee Family Foundation, Jack Brown and Family Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, Victoria Foundation, Dr. Woo Hon Fai Memorial Foundation, Colin and Lois Pritchard Foundation, Don and Lynn Bendickson Foundation, Cadillac Fairview and by the generous contributions of individual donors.
If you are living with dementia or have questions about the disease, visit www.alzheimerbc.org and call the First Link Dementia Helpline at 1-800-936-6033.