Gail’s brother gets lost in his own stories these days. A conversation that starts about the weather weaves its way into a vivid description of catching a ride to the local pub in a convertible the night before. The details are foggy; the line between reality and fiction increasingly blurred.
“He’s still my brother,” says Gail. “You just have to meet him in the conversation wherever he is. The real struggle right now is that he wants to stay where is, and age in place. But we need sustainable caregiving support to make that work.”
Gail knows her 82-year-old brother is living with some form of dementia — a diagnosis the family is working to solidify. Progressing through a network of referrals, cognitive tests and waiting lists: it’s not a straightforward process. That said, it’s more common than many of us think. Gail and her family certainly aren’t alone.
Number of people living with dementia in Alberta will soar 286% by 2050
More than 1 million Canadians will be living with dementia by 2030. That’s a big number — one expected to increase significantly over the next two decades. Alberta figures prominently among the four provinces poised to see the biggest uptick in cases during that time. Driven by a fast-aging population, this surge in Alberta’s cases will have meaningful impacts on families across the region. Case in point: researchers predict the number of care partners in Canada to nearly triple by 2050.
“Every family navigating dementia with a loved has unique concerns and priorities,” says Chuck Terlesky, General Manager of TheKey Calgary. “But aging in place is a common theme. Many of the seniors we meet express a desire to remain at home for as long as possible. The right in-home care helps them do that, even as dementia progresses.”
Terlesky says establishing deep client relationships, focusing on caregiver fit and relying on TheKey’s Cognitive Therapeutic MethodTM are essential pieces in that puzzle. “Our approach goes beyond the tasks that must be taken care of everyday. We build relationships to understand someone’s specific needs — whether they have Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia. Then, we create a care plan with them and their family to weave together specific interventions that support overall wellbeing.”
Localizing in-home dementia care to create personal experiences for Alberta seniors
Designed by experts to boost brain health for people at any level of cognitive function, TheKey’s Cognitive Therapeutic Method touches on all five aspects of cognition:
- Memory (retaining information to use later on)
- Visual-spatial perception (accurately perceiving an objective person’s location and understanding the relationship between objects)
- Executive functioning (reasoning, problem solving, judgement and thought flexibility)
- Attention (focusing on a specific piece of information for a long period of time, even in the face of competing distractions)
- Language (executing verbal functions, including spontaneous speech, speech repetition and comprehension, naming, reading and writing)
From prompts that move the client to answer questions about a picture they’ve just seen to lacing cards that help clients form patterns: individual activities are mixed and matched so folks can exercise their minds and, above all? Have some fun.
“Through in-home care, our teams can offer clients great ways to exercise their cognitive function in the place they feel most comfortable and secure,” Terlesky says. “We’re all about empowering seniors experiencing different stages of dementia to live life on their own terms, finding the meaning and purpose that matters most to them.”
That message resonates with Gail’s family, too. Her nieces and nephews are keen to provide their dad with a more well-rounded life experience, even as his dementia progresses. “To know that a caregiver is going to engage with him meaningfully, really bring a little laughter or conversation to his days? That’s so reassuring for all of us, including my brother, even if it’s hard for him to express. He feels the benefits daily.”
Considering in-home dementia care or have questions about the types of support we offer? Our specialists are here to help determine the best plan to meet your parent’s or loved one’s needs. Contact TheKey today to get started.