Most conversations with Margerie start the same way. First, she shares a couple of details. Then she asks: have I told you this already?
Her family is used to it. She’s just turned 80. The pattern repeats itself often when she chats on the phone with her son or catches up with her neighbours. She’s showing the typical signs of memory changes that many seniors experience as they age. That’s quite different from her husband, Jim.
“My dad’s stories sort of wind around in circles,” explains David. “We start out talking about the weather, the next thing I know, he’s telling me about having breakfast in Toronto yesterday. He hasn’t been there in years.”
David knows his 82-year-old father 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. David and his parents certainly aren’t alone.
Between 2020 and 2050, Manitoba will see a 124% increase in the number of people living with dementia
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. As Manitoba prepares to see a 124% uptick in cases by 2050, the province must also brace for a corresponding reality: an anticipated 125% rise in the number of care partners helping loved ones manage and live with dementia. In this changing landscape, that means families here are about to experience a significant shift.
“People tend to hear the word dementia and think of Alzheimer’s disease right away. What they don’t necessarily realize is that Alzheimer’s is only one form of dementia. Each form, and the way each individual experiences it, is a bit different,” explains Dennis Fancy, General Manager of TheKey Winnipeg. “From what we’ve seen working with local families over the last two decades, I think the most important thing people can do is take a personalized approach to managing this condition. A senior living with dementia needs a specific care plan, designed with their specific needs in mind.”
Fancy says his team builds deep relationships with clients and their families, focuses on caregiver fit and then brings together core elements of TheKey’s Cognitive Therapeutic MethodTM to offer a truly customized in-home care experience. “When we’re starting to work with a new client, we always look at the tasks of daily living that will require our support. But we also assess their cognitive ability. We talk to families and other care professionals to understand where that client is in the dementia journey and we incorporate all kinds of interventions to improve their wellbeing overall.”
Taking a personalized approach to improve quality of life for seniors living with dementia
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.
“Never underestimate the power of joy. We tell all our clients that,” says Fancy. “Our caregiving method enables our caregivers to help seniors flex their cognitive muscles in ways that feel interesting and enjoyable. That’s so important to us. It is possible to provide in-home care that makes the day to day better for our clients.”
That’s something David and his siblings want to offer their dad, too. While Jim has good days and bad days, the family remains committed to working with caregivers who can provide a well-rounded life experience — even as dementia progresses.
“My dad is still my dad. I want him to be able to have a chat with someone, feel like he has a friend, enjoy the view of the lake,” David says. “I want him to have all of those experiences even if he has dementia, and in the comfort of his own home where he feels safest and happiest.”
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.