Deciding the next steps for a loved one diagnosed with dementia can be a complex adjustment.
It's a feeling experts are hoping to put Tri-City residents, families and caregivers at ease by offering a series of free webinars hosted by the Alzheimer Society of BC in the weeks ahead.
The organization says, currently, between 60,000 and 70,000 B.C. residents are living with some form of dementia.
In a release sent to the Tri-City News, the society adds trying to find the right solution can be "overwhelming," especially when looking for long-term care that meets the person's needs in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.
A webinar is scheduled for Aug. 25 from 2 to 3 p.m. set to talk about factors to consider when transitioning a loved one with dementia to long-term care.
Several other webinars are available for the public via the Alzheimer Society of BC's website.
CAN'T ATTEND THE WEBINAR?
Experts from the society also provided a list of tips to the Tri-City News when it comes to finding the right care for dementia-diagnosed family members or friends.
This includes any of the following:
- Consider your priorities and expectations in a long-term care home
- Contact any Tri-City community health centres for information about the long-term care application process
- Make a list of long-term care home options and narrow it down to the ones you want to visit
- Visit each home — if you can — to see firsthand what each one has to offer and bring your list of priorities, expectations and any questions you may have
- Be flexible and consider whether you could work with the staff to meet the needs of the person living with dementia
