Alzheimer Society to hold dementia educational webinars

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. will be hosting webinars and workshops to provide resources for people affected by dementia.

The society will hold several webinars through the end of summer and into the fall to provide resources to individuals and their families on topics related to dementia and end-of-life care .

The first seminar, Preparing for end-of-life on the dementia journey, will be held on Aug. 24. It will provide caregivers and people living with dementia with information on what to expect when transitioning from advanced dementia to end-of-life. Topics that will be covered in the first webinar include key decisions to be made, ways to discuss end-of-life wishes in advance, and strategies to maintain connection through the process.

There will also be an Introduction to Advance Care Planning webinar on Sept. 7, a Coping with change, grief and loss workshop on Sept. 8, a Planning for health-care, legal and financial decisions workshop on Sept. 19, and a webinar discussing palliative care on Sept. 21.

The final webinar will also have guest speaker, Della Roberts, from the B.C. Centre for Palliative Care, to provide information on the difference of palliative care from hospice care.

“Not only is the information helpful from the education perspective, but it also provides an opportunity for families to engage in an honest conversation and find a starting point for planning,” said Laurie DeCroos, support and education coordinator for First Link at the Alzheimer Society of B.C.

The society stated that about 25 per cent of Canadian seniors over the age of 85 have been diagnosed with dementia.

With B.C.’s aging population, the society said planning for the end of life is increasingly important for families to ensure the wishes of the individuals are respected.

Registration for the webinars and workshops are now open on the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s website.