-- Toronto, Canada, February 11, 2016 – Home Care Assistance – Toronto/York Region (HomeCareAssistance-Toronto.com), the leading provider of non-medical, in-home senior care in the Greater Toronto Area, is commenting on the Alzheimer Society’s campaign on dementia.
Last month, the Alzheimer Society led an awareness campaign for dementia as part of Canada’s decision to recognize January as Alzheimer Awareness Month. The goal of the campaign is to change the perspective of the disease and to understand that those suffering with Alzheimer’s are still real people apart from their condition. (Source: Khalil, N., “Alzheimer Society launches campaign to dispel myths about dementia,” January 15, 2016 http://www.mississauga.com/news-story/6234946-alzheimer-society-launches-campaign-to-dispel-myths-about-dementia/)
“It’s easy to see someone suffering from dementia and forget that they are much more than their symptoms,” says Brian Shevel, president of Home Care Assistance – Toronto/York Region. “But there has to be a shift in awareness from the general public in realizing this is not a fair judgment. It was encouraging to see the Alzheimer Society lead a campaign that spoke directly to those myths and misjudgments.”
As the population continues to age, in the next 15 years, it is expected that 1.4 million Canadians will be living with Alzheimer’s. Currently, nearly 800,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia.
“Age is the biggest risk factor for dementia. The chances of being diagnosed with the disease doubles every five years after the age of 65,” explains Shevel. “Canadian women are the largest group to suffer from dementia, representing 72% of those afflicted.”
The slogan of the campaign was #stillhere, referencing the person behind the dementia. In Canada, over $30 billion is spent on dementia each year, but this number doesn’t account for the fact that there is still a large amount of family members caring for loved ones with dementia. If these family members were to be compensated, experts estimate this figure would add another $11 billion.
“We know there’s a strong movement happening all over Canada now to improve our current healthcare structure,” says Shevel. “But families are suffering right now and it’s important we all recognize that while appreciating the fact that people suffering from dementia are indeed still here.”
Home Care Assistance – Toronto/York region provides caregivers who are specially trained to handle those suffering from dementia. Caregivers are trained to act practically and with sensitivity to ensure seniors are as comfortable as possible before they pass. More information can be found at www.HomeCareAssistance-Toronto.com.
Contact Info:
Name: Brian Shevel
Email: Send Email
Organization: Home Care Assistance - Toronto
Address: 3300 Rutherford Rd., Unit A6 Highlands Farm Center Vaughan, Ontario L4K 5Z2
Phone: 416-822-0204
Website: http://homecareassistance-toronto.com/
Release ID: 103707
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