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You don’t have to face dementia alone

When Bev McIntyre’s husband, Bob, was diagnosed two years ago, she felt lost. Suddenly she was a care partner, a role she had never imagined and wasn’t sure she could fill.

“When we got that diagnosis, it really blew my world apart,” Bev says. “I’d never met anybody who knew or cared for someone living with dementia. I didn’t know where to turn for help.”

Bob felt the weight of it too. “My diagnosis hit me like a truck. Dementia is hard to accept. I often say it’s like the left side and the right side of my brain are out having coffee in two different places.”

Every doctor they saw suggested the same thing: reach out to the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba (ASM). Its First Link® Client Support program offers guidance, education, resources and more.

Bev wasn’t sure what to expect, but after she made that first phone call to ASM, everything changed.

“That call was so helpful. I talked and talked to the point where I apologized,” Bev laughs. “But they told me that’s why they’re here — to listen to everything I needed to say.”

Bev had found something special: a place where she would be heard and understood. She began taking every education session offered, attended the annual Care4u Conference and joined the Minds in Motion program together with Bob.

“I knew I needed a community that would support both of us,” Bev says.

“There were so many programs that allowed Bob and I to go together, and separately.”

Through the staff at ASM, Bev also met five other women caring for husbands living with dementia. Those friendships have become a significant source of support in her life.

“The people we met at the Alzheimer Society were our saving grace,” Bev says. “I truly don’t know another place you can go that understands dementia on this level and that is there for you the way they are.”

Their experience is one many families share. More than 20,300 Manitobans live with dementia. The Alzheimer Society is “Your Path Forward,” a place to find guidance, resources, education and programs, and to connect with others who have been down the same road.

“It’s so important that families know they are not alone —they don’t have to figure it out on their own,” says Erin Crawford, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. “We listen to where you’re at and help you access the right resources and guidance to move forward.”

Bob couldn’t agree more. “When I meet other people facing dementia, the first thing I tell them is to contact the Alzheimer Society. The staff are so compassionate. It’s a community that cares, and that’s the biggest thing.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing dementia, reach out today. There is something for everyone, whether you’re concerned about potential symptoms, just received a diagnosis or are facing day-to-day challenges that come further in the progression of this disease. Learn more and connect at alzheimer.mb.ca