Reading Time: 2 minutes Dementia is a progressive irreversible decline in both cognitive and functional abilities. About seven per cent of Canadians have a diagnosis. Unfortunately, there is no cure. It is thought that tangles of proteins known as tau particles and plaques of misshaped amyloid beta proteins impair the brain’s ability to function. Nerve messages are not able […] Read more
Guide Health: Antipsychotic drugs and dementia
Drugs may ease the anxiety and aggression, but they introduce other risks
Retired farmers show they have a lifetime to share
Support for these farmers stopped the moment they left the farm, until Jill Rennie developed this innovative dementia support group
Reading Time: 8 minutes Retiring from the farm can have a massive impact on farmers’ mental and physical health. It can seem the lucky ones are those who can still live on the farm site, do a few odd jobs, run some errands or help out at busy times. Indeed, the ones who end up moving away from the […] Read more
Living with dementia
These strategies can add life quality and meaning for both of you
Reading Time: 5 minutes The challenges of a dementia diagnosis can be compounded by feelings of isolation and loneliness when family and friends stop visiting because they don’t know what to say or do. “People stay away because they don’t know how to communicate with them, but it magnifies the difficulties,” says Dr. Al Power, a medical doctor who […] Read more
Guide Health: Is it really dementia?
Too often we put off getting our forgetfulness checked out, but it may not be Alzheimer’s
Reading Time: 3 minutes Dementia is a chronic and progressive deterioration of mental capacity, and you have probably heard of Alzheimer’s disease, its most common form. In Canada, about 15 per cent of people 65-plus years old are affected, and with the growth of this age group, the numbers of people affected are sure to increase. Dementia is not […] Read more
Living with dementia on the farm
Alzheimer’s is a frightening diagnosis, but these strategies can maximize your control
Reading Time: 4 minutes Getting a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be devastating, especially for farmers who want to stay active on the farm. Even if you’re afraid of bad news, however, it’s important to seek a medical diagnosis as quickly as possible. Memory loss or problems with cognitive function may be caused by treatable conditions, explains Lisa Loiselle, the […] Read more
Guide Health: Memory and drugs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Everyone is concerned about memory loss in old age, but before you resign yourself to dementia, check your medications. Some drugs may actually cause adverse effects that can be mistaken for memory loss. For instance, benzodiazepines used to treat stress, anxiety, and sleep problems may remain in the body causing daytime drowsiness and confusion, which […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
