As many of you know, Alzheimer’s Disease is real for me.  My mom was diagnosed in 2015, after it was confirmed that our family carries the dreaded APO4 gene.  However, just because you carry the gene doesn’t mean you will get Alzheimer’s.  I plan on doing everything to not turn that gene on from nutrition to lifestyle to supplements.

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Canada. The latest statistics on Alzheimer Society of  Canada’s website indicates that the number of Canadians with dementia is rising sharply.  “As of 2016, there are an estimated 564,000 Canadians living with dementia – plus about 25,000 new cases diagnosed every year. By 2031, that number is expected to rise to 937,000, an increase of 66 per cent.” [1]  Not all dementia is Alzheimer’s but all Alzheimer’s is dementia. Whether dementia or Alzheimer’s, these statistics need you to take notice.  You might not think that this disease is needing your attention, but the Canadian healthcare system is ill-equipped to handle the increase of chronic care needed for these Canadians.

There is a push that Canada establishes a national dementia strategy.  United States, France, Australia, the UK, and other countries already have strategies in place.  Canada lags behind in dementia initiatives.  In 2014, David Cameron, the former UK prime minister, stated that “A global effort to raise awareness and help those living with dementia to live with dignity…The truth is that dementia now stands alongside cancer as one of the greatest enemies of humanity.  We need to recognise this for what it is and fight it with just the same determination and compassion that we have brought to the battle against cancer.” [2] It’s time Canadians speak up for those individuals and their families inflicted with this disease.

In 2016, I endeavoured to learn as much as possible about Alzheimer’s from nutrition support to lifestyle changes to supplemental assistance to allopathic choices.  I’ve taken courses on brain health and support.  I’ve read a lot of books written by caregivers to experts to Alzheimer sufferers.  I’ve immersed myself in the healing and supportive role of an Alzheimer Assistant Service Dog — with the help of my family, we placed one in my parents’ home in June 2016.  Literally, I’m living with Alzheimer’s through my mom and remembering how her mom navigated the disease years ago.  Alzheimer’s affects not just the individual afflicted, but the whole family!

“We’re a composite of our life’s experiences – memory layered upon memory and Alzheimer’s steals that away.” ~ Meryl Comer

The question I’m often asked is what is one resource I would recommend starting with.  From all my book reading, my favourite is written by Barbara Smith and Dan Gasby called Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s. This book is written from the point of view of the husband and caregiver, Dan Gasby, and from Barbara, his wife and Alzheimer patient.  The book chronicles Smith’s illness and its effects on their family.  Personal insights and stories allow the illness to have a face in a world that would like to forget it even exists.  There is helpful and practical advice for caregivers woven throughout the stories and challenges.  Eyeopening, this book revealed to me some of challenges my dad faces as he is my mom’s care partner every day, 24/7.  An extensive list of resources at the back helped me to tap into some amazing reads like Slow Dance with a Stranger: Lost and Found in the Age of Alzheimer’s by Meryl Comer, Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s by Joanne Koenig Coste and On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s by Greg O’Brien.

For more information on assistant dogs for Alzheimer’s and their positive impact on their partners, check out:

• Dementia Dog Scotland
• The Memory Ability of Dogs
• Assistance Dogs for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients

My mom has improved since Cecil’s placement six months ago.  She has regained memory ground with fewer emotional breakdowns, but the disease still ravages her short term memory.  He calms her, supports her and gives her purpose. Before witnessing this slight transformation and taking talks during the “Alzheimer’s and Dementia Summit” and “Awakening from Alzheimers”, I believed that Alzheimer’s was a life sentence that only moved one way, forward.  In June 2016, researcher Dale Bredesen documented his trial that Alzheimer’s cognitive impairment and memory loss could be reversed by “including changes in diet, exercise, and sleeping habits, plus the integration of certain drugs, vitamins, and brain stimulation therapy to their regular routine.” [4]  Alzheimer’s is a complex brain disease that will need a multi-faceted approach to manage.  Bredesen’s research involved 36 different points!

If you want to know more about this disease, educate yourself.  If you want to become a Dementia Friends Canada, check out this link.  With the sharp increase of dementia and Alzheimer’s in the world, if you haven’t already been affected by this disease, you will be in your lifetime.

Want to chat about ways you can use nutrition, lifestyle and targeted supplements to improve your brain?  Email or call Brenda at 403.801.5698.  With my free no-obligation Discovery Chat, you can begin healing your body today.

Resources

[1]  http://www.alzheimer.ca/en/Get-involved/Raise-your-voice/Latest-info-stats

[2]  https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/global-dementia-legacy-event-david-camerons-speech

[3]  B. Smith and Dan Gasby with Michael Shnayerson, Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s, (New York: Harmony Books, 2016)

[4] Bec Crew, “Small trial shows memory loss from Alzheimer’s disease can be reversed,” Science Alert, Jun 20, 2016.