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Photo Courtesy Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories
By Tanner Smith
Awareness

World Alzheimer’s Day event in Grande Prairie on September 21

Sep 9, 2022 | 10:11 AM

World Alzheimer’s Day is September 21 and to raise awareness the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories will be hosting a by-donation barbecue in Grande Prairie.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the City Centre Co-op, residents can go enjoy a burger and drink for a donation of five dollars.

Jennifer Simms, Regional Lead for the Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories says they want people with Alzheimer’s to reach out for help and not be alone during their journey.

“Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are definitely on the rise and we want to be making sure we’re doing our part in reducing stigma, to be able to come out and say I live with dementia or to able to say I want my community to be more dementia inclusive.”

Simms adds she hopes events like this will show the community their doors are open once again for support options, after the pandemic hiatus.

“I’m really hoping that people will be able to see us more in the community and that will keep us on the top of their mind, to be able to reach out and say I was having concerns about a family member or what’s best for my own brain health… and start to ask the questions.”

However, Simms says there was a “silver lining” to the pandemic, with them learning how to offer services to people all over Alberta without being face to face that they can now use towards rural communities.

These services and supports are still a work in progress, but as of right now, they are the main focus of the society, to get rid of the stigma around Alzheimer’s and to help people cope.

“Right now for us, being able to have the funds to put on our programs and services, to be able to run our support groups, to be able to make sure were calling clients every six months to be touching base to see how we can support them, that’s where the funds at this time need to be going.”

Simms adds they have seven regional offices across the province and the ability to now support people from across the Northwest Territories, and all over Alberta with online and virtual support options.

by Tanner Smith