Help reduce the stigma behind dementia

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Transcript

Transcript

Dementia.

Each person’s experience of dementia is different.

A person living with some of the more common initial symptoms can often still take care of themselves and be active in the community.

Dementia symptoms can include changes in mood and behaviour, and in the ability to communicate.

There can also be a decline in thinking abilities, such as memory, planning, judgement and awareness of place and time.

As the dementia progresses, individuals may need more assistance with daily living activities.

But they can still experience emotions, be active in their community and participate in activities they enjoy.

Everyone should be treated with respect, including those with dementia. So, what’s the best way to interact with and support people living with dementia?

The first step is to learn more. Learning how to recognize the signs of dementia and how it affects people, will strengthen your ability to communicate, interact and most importantly, help support people living with dementia.

If you’re having trouble understanding the person, try adjusting how you communicate such as asking the same question in different ways. Be patient.

Let’s do our part to reduce stigma and social isolation.

We can all help improve the quality of life of people living with dementia.

To know more about dementia and how to help people living with this condition, visit canada.ca/dementia

A message from the Government of Canada

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