The Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region was founded in 1984 through the vision of a small group of family caregivers who wanted to share their experiences and lend support to other families. Over the next 4 years, the overwhelming need for services in the Region precipitated an application to the Ministry of Health for base funding to hire qualified counselling staff and in 1988, the Family Support Program was developed.

Avondale House was established in 1991, and again, the continued need for service over the following 10 years necessitated a second capital campaign. In July 2001, we opened the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region Family and Community Resource Centre - the only one of its kind in Canada.

WHY WE ARE UNIQUE

• Has the only Resource Centre of its kind in Canada to address both physical and cognitive issues

• Is the leader in the community for specialized dementia care

• Provides programs and services across the Region to all individuals with a dementia and their family members at no charge, in keeping with their ethno-cultural and socio-economic backgrounds

• Has the largest and most comprehensive counselling program of the 39 Ontario Chapters that serves over 1200 families annually

• Is one of the few designated francophone chapters in the province

• Is the only organization to provide assistive devices and transportation programs at no cost to our families

• Has a Therapeutic Living Centre (TLC) within the Resource Centre that is a fully functioning apartment suite. The TLC showcases assistive devices and home adaptations that maximize the independence and safety of the individual with dementia so they be cared for at home much longer

• Has a Caregiver Café especially designed to offer caregivers an opportunity to increase their well-being through socialization and a bit of 'pampering'

• Offers educational presentations and resources that are in great demand by our families, community partners and the general public

• Promotes brain health through activities and strategies for healthy living, to lower the risk of developing dementia

• Has a large core of specialized volunteers whose support increases our ability to serve more families across Niagara

THE REALITY

• An estimated 450,000 Canadians, or 1 in 13 people over 65 (1 in 3 over 85) have a dementia of some kind (Alzheimer Canada

• 1 in 4 individuals know someone with a dementia (Alz. Canada)

• In Niagara Region for 2008, approximately 7,749 individuals (Hopkins 2005) are experiencing a progressive dementia

• In Niagara, 29% of people are living alone over the age of 65 according to the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) statistics

• As the population continues to age, the number is expected to increase to 10,000 individuals within 10 years (Hopkins 2005)

• For every individual with dementia, there are ten others who are directly affected – eg. the individual, spouse, adult children and their spouses, grandchildren, etc. This implies that currently there are 77,490 people in Niagara in need of our support

• At any given time, we have 600 families on our caseload

• 29% of our client population live alone with a dementia

• Our Society receives an average of 2 referrals a day - all referrals are called by a qualified counsellor within the same week

• Due to the increased demand for service and complexity of each case, there is a waiting time for our counsellors to visit a client in their own home

• More people are coming forward early in the disease

• There are few programs that meet the needs of individuals in the early stages – they are not impaired enough for existing programs geared to the later stages but are uncomfortable attending activities offered in seniors’ centres due to their memory problems

• There is a lack of available geriatric services in the Niagara Region in comparison to other communities

• Niagara is a retirement community and has one of the largest senior populations in Canada

• Currently, approximately 40% of the occupancy of acute care beds are designated as Alternative Level of Care (ALC). These individuals are awaiting long term care beds or retirement homes which are not readily available

HOW WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN NIAGARA

• We help to keep individuals in their homes longer – an average of 1.5 years longer and, hopefully, even longer with the introduction of the LHIN's Aging At Home Strategy

• We take a family systems approach supporting the individual with dementia, as well as their primary caregiver and all the family members to ensure the well-being of all involved

• We provide incontinence products and therefore give the individual a sense of dignity

• We provide assistive devices that increase the individual's independence and self worth

• We provide transportation to and from our planned activities at no charge. Transportation is a major barrier as most individuals with dementia have lost their license

• We provide education to families and other service providers to increase their knowledge, awareness and understanding of dementia and the issues that arise

• We provide those who are in the early stages of their dementia with information and education regarding what is happening and what lies ahead while they can still participate in their own plans for the future

• We provide opportunities for socialization and interaction with their own peers who can fully understand their experience and difficulties with memory and communication

• We reduce the social isolation felt by these individuals and their families through our Early Stage and Caregiver programs

• We reduce the burden on the acute care service by keeping an individual in their own home longer
   

THE ALZHEIMER SOCIETY PROVIDES ASSISTIVE DEVICES TO FAMILIES AT NO CHARGE
What It Would Cost A Family To Rent Per Month:

• Electric hospital bed - $199
  (additional $75 for set up & delivery)
• Manual Hospital bed - $130
  ( additional $75 for set up & delivery)
• A wheelchair - $53
• A standard walker - $32
• A stationary commode - $32
• A raised toilet seat with arms - $28
• A bath chair - $25
• Incontinence Products cost approximately $1.00 per item at least 4 per day – $120.00
• Grab Bars cost on average $25 plus installation and delivery

PROGRAMS & SERVICES OFFERED

• Family Support Program                                      
• The Therapeutic Living Centre
• Caregiver Café
• Caregiver Education Series
• Crisis Management
• Training for professionals
• Advocacy
• Volunteer Programs
• Virtual Dementia Tours
• Caregiver Support Groups
• Early Stage Support Groups
• Environmental Assessments
• Assistive Devices
• Lending Library
• Friendly Visiting
• Transportation Program
• Safely Home Program