Of Interest
January is Alzheimer Awareness Month
Heads Up For Healthier Brains!
Alzheimer Awareness Campaign 2007-2008: Wellness, Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Family Affair
Heads up! There is growing evidence that no matter what your age, brain health is more important than ever before. In 2007 and 2008, the Alzheimer Society will be bringing this message to communities across Canada during its awareness campaign entitled, Wellness, Health Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Family Affair.
While you still can’t prevent Alzheimer’s disease, it is never too soon, or too late, to make changes that will maintain or improve your brain health – changes that may also help to reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.
The 2007-2008 awareness campaign will be educational, with a call-to-action message designed nationally and delivered through the Society’s network of 140 chapters and 10 provincial societies. It will focus on a healthy brain, lifestyle choices people can make to help reduce their risk, maintaining health and quality of life as they age, and the critical role families play in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The campaign will provide people with the disease and their caregivers the information they need to maintain health and quality of life while aging and dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. It will also educate the general public about the risk factors for the disease, and what people at all ages can do to help reduce their risk.
Wow! This year’s Coffee Break™ Campaign has been our most successful yet, bringing in an incredible $15,270.82!!!! We surpassed our goal of $12,000! Thank you to all of those individuals and organizations who helped to make this important event such a success.
Staff at the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough and Area are now certified Coaches in Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA). GPA is a program that teaches long-term care and retirement home staff strategies for dealing with responsive and challenging behaviours associated with dementia. The overall goal of the GPA curriculum is to educate staff on how to use a person-centred, compassionate and gentle persuasive approach; to respond respectfully and with confidence and skill to challenging behaviours associated with dementia. The GPA coaches will be active in the new year in providing this education and training to several long term care and retirement homes in our catchment area. Please call the office if you wish to learn more information about this important program.
The Alzheimer Society of Peterborough and Area is currently looking for individuals who would like to be active members on our Board of Directors. If you are interested, please call the office and speak to Janice McGregor, Executive Director at (705) 748-5131. We are also looking for new volunteers to help us further the work of our Society. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marie Hough, Volunteer Coordinator/Marketing, at the Alzheimer Society Office.