Going to the Alzheimer support group certainly made it easier for me

Yvonne and Laurie Schwartz have made use of their local Alzheimer Society For ten months after Lauries diagnosis they tried to keep it hidden from their friends Yvonne says quotIt was the most difficult time you could imagine Laurie didnt want people to know He didnt want them staring at himquot They eventually joined an Alzheimer support group for people in the early stages of the disease

At first Yvonne would cry in support group meetings but after a while she found it easier to open up and talk

After about the third meeting she says quotLaurie came home one day He went across the street to his cousin Sidney and told Sid his problem I said oh thats so good Now can I tell my sistersquot

In January 1997 Mike and Nona Crowe got the news that Mike had a probable diagnosis of Alzheimers disease They know how valuable it is to receive the diagnosis in the early stages of the disease

Nona learned that her local Alzheimer Society was starting a support group for people with earlystage Alzheimers disease Mike joined and now hes learning more about his illness and the changes to expect quotGoing to the Alzheimer group certainly made it easier for mequot says Mike

Nona meets with other caregivers She says quotAt the beginning we were in denial It cant be Its got to be something else But when you come to terms with it its a bit of a relief having the diagnosis accepting it and saying lets make the best of it and try to enjoy life as much as we canquot

By the year 2030 frac34 million Canadians are expected to have Alzheimers disease and related dementias

Linda LeDuc says quotEarly detection and early diagnosis will give some people with Alzheimers disease a chance to participate in the decisions affecting their futurequot

The Alzheimer Society provides information and support to families affected by Alzheimers disease The Society also funds research into the cause and cure of Alzheimers disease and into finding improved methods of caregiving and delivering services For more information contact your local Alzheimer Society

Date : 14 Dec, 2007
Reference : www.alzheimer.ca

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