Support changes everything.
Winnipeg, MB, January 3, 2023 – This January, during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the Alzheimer Society is creating awareness about the many resources available to help support families as they face the challenges of living with dementia.
With more than 18,400 Manitobans living with dementia today, a number expected to reach 39,100 by 2050, the Society continues to enhance support for families impacted by dementia and meet their needs early in, and throughout, their journey. Their First Link® program connects people living with dementia and their care partners with community, support, knowledge and expertise so they don’t have to face dementia alone.
“Whether it’s before, during or after a diagnosis, the Alzheimer Society is the first place you can turn,” says Erin Crawford, Program Director, Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. “The Society gives you access to dementia-friendly expertise and resources and connects you with a community of people who understand what you’re going through.”
When Marcel Hebert’s wife Ida was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at 55, the couple was shocked and overwhelmed. The First Link® program connected Marcel with information about Ida’s type of dementia and to a care partner support group where he met and received support from others in a similar situation. Learn more about Marcel and Ida’s story through this video.
“I didn’t think someone as young as Ida could be diagnosed with dementia. I thought it was something only older adults could get,” says Hebert. “It was such a relief to speak with someone from the Alzheimer Society, she gave us the guidance we needed. And the support I received from my care partner group changed everything for me.”
The goal of the Alzheimer Society’s First Link® program is to ensure that people living with dementia and their care partners have the proper support and information from the moment they notice the first signs of dementia and throughout the progression of the disease.
“The more help and support we give now, the better our province will be at caring for the rising cases of dementia expected to come,” says Crawford.
To learn more or get connected to support, contact your local Alzheimer Society today at 204-943-6622 (Winnipeg), 1-800-378-6699 (Provincial) or visit www.alzheimer.mb.ca/alzheimers-awareness-mont
Follow the Alzheimer Society throughout January to see more stories like Marcel’s and hear from Manitobans impacted by dementia about how the support they received from the Society has made all the difference.
Founded over 35 years ago, the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba exists so all Manitobans affected by dementia receive the help they need today and have hope for the future. As a province-wide organization, the Society seeks to achieve its mission through community awareness; individual, family and professional education; support programs and research funding. Visit alzheimer.mb.ca for more information.
Quick facts
National Statistics
Today, more than half a million Canadians are living with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
By the year 2050, more than 1.7 million people in Canada will be living with dementia.
Care partners for people with dementia provide an average 26 hours of caregiving per week compared to 17 hours per week for seniors with other health issues (coming from data out of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)). Data from the CIHI has shown that:
45% of care partners providing care to people living with dementia exhibit symptoms of distress. This is twice the rate compared to care partners of older adults with health conditions other than dementia (26%).
21% of care partners feel unable to continue their caring activities due to stress
The Alzheimer Society
Alzheimer Societies across Canada provide programs and support services for people with all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and their care partners.
Alzheimer Societies across Canada provide caregivers and families with information, education and resources to help them support the person in their care who is living with dementia.
The Alzheimer Society is a leading Canadian funder of dementia research. Since 1989, we have invested over $70 million in grants and awards toward innovative dementia research through the Alzheimer Society Research Program, improving the quality of life for people with lived experience and bringing us closer to a future without Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
The Alzheimer Society is a key partner in the development of Canada’s first national dementia strategy, which will enhance research efforts and ensure access to quality care and support for all Canadians affected by dementia,
The Alzheimer Society is the organization behind First Link® and all the important services and supports it provides to those diagnosed with dementia across Canada.