How can we help you?
Close
Let us help you search:
Common topics:
Information Type:
Series Titles:
Common topics:
What questions do you have from the information you've received in this program?
Joint our Client Services team for either a virtual (online) discussion or attend one of our in person First Link Connection sessions. Dates are available from the Client Services Team.
Alternatively, carry on the conversation today by joining the online discussions at Dementia Talk.
If you are unable to attend one of our virtual or in person First Link Connection sessions, you can also clickhereto access the Dementia Talk. In this forum you will be connected with other members of the dementia community who will be able to share their experiences and possibly answer your questions.
Clicking on this link will take you to a new window in your internet browser. To return to the HelpForDementia you will need to return to this tab in your internet browser.
Looking for additional resources to strengthen your understanding of the information shared so far?
Below are some examples of the additional resources available from the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories. If you are looking for more information on a topic not covered here, please reach out to our Client Services team.
An overview of Alzheimer's Disease, it's particular forms and their effects as well as guidance about living with dementia.
Guidance regarding current treatment options for Alzheimer's Disease.
A guide to the impact dementia has on communication along with some guidance to help you maintain healthy and effective communication.
Concerned about memory loss? Here we list 10 of the warning signs of dementia.
Earlier, we learned about brain function in a person without dementia. Now we begin to explore the changing brain function in a person living with dementia. The highway system analogy used in these videos is an illustration of brain function.
Watch this first short video explanation of how the brain functions in a person living with dementia. The highway system analogy used in the video is an illustration of brain function.
Please note that the treatments referenced in the video are those currently available at the time the video was produced. Treatment options should always be discussed with a physician.
This is the first of four short videos exploring brain function in a person living with dementia.
Make sure you have the sound on when watching the video to access the full experience, or alternatively read the transcript below.
Now, let’s talk about the brain of a person who is living with dementia and consider once again the idea that the brain can be represented as a highway system.
Short Term Memory
In this situation there is an eighteen wheel truck carrying a big load of boxes traveling down the highway to short term memory. This is where we first begin to see glitches in the memory. Think about that smooth solid highway. At some point a large crack has developed causing the truck to drop a couple of boxes off the truck. Eventually that crack develops into a large gap leaving all those boxes behind. The solid highway to short term memory is gone. This is when carers may need to develop strategies to compensate and more effectively communicate with persons living with dementia.
It is important to note that treatments such as Reminyl, Exelon, Aricept, Donepezil and Ebixaact act like a snow plow or a grader, pushing the boxes off the road, keeping the road clear. Although there is no cure for the disease, these treatments may reduce the symptoms.
However, as time goes on, boxes continue to fall along the highway and even the snowplows can’t keep it clear.
Boxes build up first on the road to the short term memory. The road eventually becomes blocked and the courier will no longer be able to retrieve the information required. This is what is happening when a person with dementia says “I don’t know” or “I can’t remember”
Long Term Memory
By comparison, when boxes start falling in long term memory, the boxes will fall in front of the most recent memories first. In this case, they will fall in front of the 2020 filing cabinet, meaning someone with dementia will struggle with the most recent long term memory files first. They might not recall who visited last summer. As the disease progresses and more boxes start to fall, then getting information from the 2000’s, 90’s, 80’s, etc… will be a struggle.
We should also point out that the road to short term memory does not fill up with boxes before they also start to fall elsewhere. In order to get a diagnosis of dementia the boxes must fall in at least two areas of the brain. We are going to discuss some of these areas now. This is not necessarily the order that the disease progresses, everyone experiences the disease differently
Please download this PDF of the video transcript if you would like to print a copy.
Watch this second short video explanation of how the brain functions in a person living with dementia. The highway system analogy used in these videos is an illustration of brain function.
This is the second of four short videos exploring brain function in a person living with dementia.
Make sure you have the sound on when watching the video to access the full experience, or alternatively read the transcript below.
What people with this disease tell us is that once there was a diagnosis, people stopped asking their opinions. Why do we ask someone’s opinion? We ask because we value what someone has to say. People with this disease need to feel valued.
If we consider a processing question or task such as the steps required to make a cup of coffee, people will often say there are around five steps. But there are actually around fifty steps. You need to go find the kitchen, know where the coffee is kept, how much coffee to put in, how many filters to use, etc. and so on.
The brain of a person without dementia goes through these steps so fast we don’t even realize how many are involved.
Think of another activity of daily living. Each time the person with the disease must go through fifty steps. Sometimes the person with the disease will get stuck on a step. And our instinct may be to jump in and do it for them. Don’t take that task away from them. If the person with the disease gets stuck on a step, help them through that particular step. It doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t do the task.
However, if the disease has progressed to the point where the person living with dementia is struggling with all of the steps that go into activities of daily living like making a cup of coffee, or brushing teeth, we believe it isn’t fair to ask them higher level reasoning questions or expect them to engage in complex tasks or questions such as downsizing their home or managing their investments.
Care partners may therefore need to assist with the higher level questions and tasks before assisting with the activities of daily living to avoid the person living with dementia feeling frustrated or inadequate.
Please download this PDF of the video transcript if you would like to print a copy.
Watch this third short video explanation of how the brain functions in a person living with dementia. The highway system analogy used in these videos is an illustration of brain function.
This is the third of four short videos exploring brain function in a person living with dementia.
Make sure you have the sound on when watching the video to access the full experience, or alternatively read the transcript below.
So what types of questions should we be asking to help communicate more effectively with persons living with dementia?
Firstly, consider the types of questions you are asking; open-ended questions such as “where do you want to go for dinner?” can be overwhelming for a person living with dementia.
Try giving them two choices: “Do you want to go to Swiss Chalet or Denny’s?”
If you notice the person with the disease always chooses the last option you gave, try moving instead to closed, yes or no type questions.
If there are lots of conversations going on at once, the person with the disease may be overwhelmed or not be able to follow. Try and have a ‘one on one’ conversation with them so they can follow and participate.
As boxes build up on the highway to and from the communication area of the brain, the person living with dementia will have difficulty finding the right words. We can help them fill in the words, if we know what they are trying to say.
Or, redirect the conversation; “Oh, I’ve had such a long day, let’s go have a cup of tea and worry about that later”. Put the focus on you, not on the person living with the disease.
Be careful of your use of pronouns; he/she/we/they. The person living with dementia may not recall who ‘she’ is. Use people’s names when bringing them into your conversation.
Please download this PDF of the video transcript if you would like to print a copy.
Watch this third short video explanation of how the brain functions in a person living with dementia. The highway system analogy used in these videos is an illustration of brain function.
This is the fourth of four short videos exploring brain function in a person living with dementia.
Make sure you have the sound on when watching the video to access the full experience, or alternatively read the transcript below.
What if I told you that there is an area of the brain that doesn’t have a highway? This area is called the emotional memory.
Emotional memory is part of a person until the end of life. The person living with dementia may not remember your name or how you connect with them but they will know how you make them feel. It is important to know even a small act like putting lotion on a hand or holding a hand for a moment provides an emotional connection. We therefore encourage care partners to use the senses: taste, touch, sound, sight and smell to be able to engage with the person living with dementia.
Please download this PDF of the video transcript if you would like to print a copy.
There are lots of other areas of the brain that we have not discussed in this short program such as awareness of time, physical movement, and more. More information about these can be accessed via our Client Services team or on the ASANT Café.
In conclusion, for most experiences of dementia the disease starts in short term memory and moves to other areas over time. Returning to our highway system, this is represented in the early stage with those few boxes in a few areas, in the middle stage more boxes in more areas and in late stage dementia lots of boxes in lots of areas.
Watch this video and listen to host Liana Shannon as she provides an overview of the key messages we'll explore in this session. She offers some early thoughts to get you started!
,
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Completing a personal action plan can greatly enhance your motivation and keep you focused on what you can confidently achieve. It's important that you succeed!
Take some time to think about what you will do to challenge your brain and continue to maintain or improve your brain health.
Download and print a copy of the activity sheet My Personal Action Plan below. Reflect on and answer the statements in both columns. Then circle the number between 0 and 10 that represents your confidence level.
You may have printed this activity sheet after completing another session. Feel free to use the one sheet to track all of your actions in one place as you move through this program.
If you rate your confidence below a 7, you might want to look at the barriers and consider reworking your action plan so that it's something you are confident that you can accomplish.
Personal Action Plan
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Here's a fun activity to challenge your brain! It's a little more challenging than the previous activity in Part 3.
Take a few minutes and see how well you do. It's not a test, just another example of one of the many activities you can do to give your brain a boost.
For more brain teaser activities visit the Alzheimer Society's BrainBooster® activity pages at http://www.alzheimer.ca/en/Living-with-dementia/BrainBooster
,
Good luck!
,
,
,
,
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Here's a fun activity to challenge your brain! Take a few minutes and see how well you do. It's not a test, just another example of one of the many activities you can do to give your brain a boost.
For more brain teaser activities visit the Alzheimer Society's BrainBooster® activity pages at https://alzheimer.ca/en/help-support/im-living-dementia/living-well-dementia/challenging-your-brain
,
Good luck!
,
,
,
,
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Watch this video and listen to host Liana Shannon as she provides an overview of the key messages we'll explore in this session. She offers some early thoughts to get you started!
,
,
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Challenging your brain doesn't have to be difficult. It can be as simple as dialing a phone number with your less dominant hand or as complex as learning a new language.
Remember, the goal is to give your brain a new experience and a workout every day.
Try some of these ideas!
Note: Your abilities, health and interests should be taken into consideration when choosing brain healthy activities. If you have questions about your own situation, speak to your doctor or health care provider.
,
Give your brain a boost! Did you know that doing puzzles like crosswords and word searches is a great way to keep your brain active?
Take action on brain health and visit the Alzheimer Society's BrainBooster® activity pages at https://alzheimer.ca/en/help-support/im-living-dementia/living-well-dementia/challenging-your-brain
Visit us often for updated puzzles, recipe links and exercises to keep your brain healthy.
BrainBooster® activities are generously supported by Burnbrae Farms Ltd.
,
,
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Completing a personal action plan can greatly enhance your motivation and keep you focused on what you can confidently achieve. It's important that you succeed!
Take some time to think about what you will do to protect your head and continue to maintain or improve your brain health.
Download and print a copy of the activity sheet My Personal Action Plan below. Reflect on and answer the statements in both columns. Then circle the number between 0 and 10 that represents your confidence level.
You may have printed this activity sheet after completing another session. Feel free to use the one sheet to track all of your actions in one place as you move through this program.
If you rate your confidence below a 7, you might want to look at the barriers and consider reworking your action plan so that it's something you are confident that you can accomplish.
,
Congratulations! You've successfully completed Session 4.
In this session you learned about the importance of being proactive in protecting your head at every age. You explored some tips and strategies for preventing falls and learned about choosing and fitting a bicycle helmet.
