When a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, the progression of the disease may affect their ability to express their thoughts and wishes, says the Alzheimer Society.
Preparing plans in advance and knowing someone’s wishes can benefit East Kootenay families in decision-making, especially when reaching the end-of-life stages. The Alzheimer Society of B.C. will be joined by the BC Centre for Palliative Care for the upcoming webinar, Advance care planning for people living with dementia and their family caregiver.
Taking place on Wednesday, February 23, at 2 p.m. PT., the 60-minute webinar will share information and resources to help people get started.
“The first step in the planning process is to understand what is most important to the person living with dementia. It can be things like where they prefer to stay near the end of life, what medical interventions they want, or what specific faith or cultural rituals they like,” says Lori Kelly, Provincial Coordinator, Program Operations at the Alzheimer Society of B.C. “A clear written plan can greatly reduce family distress and help ensure the person receives the end-of-life care they want.”
Upcoming webinar sessions also include:
· Travelling with dementia (Wednesday, March 2, 2 p.m. PT): Learn about the challenges, safety concerns and strategies when travelling with dementia.
· Focus on behaviour: Sundowning (Wednesday, March 9, 2 p.m. PT): Learn the signs of “sundowning,” also known as late-day confusion, caused by dementia and explore strategies for responding.
· Accessing services (Wednesday, March 16, 2 p.m. PT): Learn about community supports like home care and adult day programs, as well as how to address challenges and work with health-care providers.
To register for any of these free webinars, please visit alzbc.org/webinars.
In addition, the Alzheimer Society is also offering online education workshops, which are small-group information sessions facilitated to provide opportunities for live discussions. Upcoming sessions include Focus on behaviour: Responsive behaviours (March 1), Building caregiver resilience (March 10), Introduction to brain health (March 15), Long-distance caregiving (March 15) and Understanding behaviour (March 29.)
To learn more or register, call the First Link® Dementia Helpline at 1-800-936-6033 or visit alzbc.org/edu-workshops.
READ: Dementia webinars offer practical tips and explore links between music and the brain
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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