We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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‘It takes a village’: New community partnership exploring ways to help those with dementia to live well

Alzheimer Society Durham Region teaming with Ontario Tech University to create safe and inclusive spaces for people living with dementia and their care partners

March 25, 2024

Dementia Village partnership celebration event on March 22, 2024 included members of the Alzheimer Society Durham Region's (ASDR) Board of Directors, members of the Ontario Tech University Brilliant Catalyst team, along with Whitby MPP Lorne Coe (second from left), and ASDR CEO Gillian Barrie (second from right).

OSHAWA, ONTARIO – As a prevalent and widening health-care issue, dementia poses substantial challenges for hundreds of thousands of Canadians and their families. With demographics trending toward an aging population on the near horizon, dementia will almost certainly affect more and more Canadians in the coming decades:

A 2022 Alzheimer Society of Canada study projects the number of people living with dementia in Canada will triple by 2050.
For every person in Canada who has dementia, a family member or friend will spend an average of 26 hours a week caring for them.
By the end of this decade, close to 24,000 people in Durham Region will be living with dementia.

Generally, people living with dementia prefer to remain living in their homes for as long as possible while continuing to access community-based and home-based care supports and services. Still, many families experience burnout and emotional distress from caregiving duties.

Alzheimer Society Durham Region (ASDR) believes that people should be encouraged to live well with dementia. However, in Durham Region, there is a lack of intentionally built dementia-friendly community spaces that are safe and inclusive for people living with dementia and their care partners to engage in social, recreational, physical, and cognitively stimulating activities.

Call to action: ASDR and Ontario Tech University’s Brilliant Catalyst unveil concept design for a Dementia Village

The encouraging news is there are solutions under development in the community, whose outcomes could offer promise and hope. Through a new ASDR partnership agreement with Ontario Tech University, ASDR envisions the creation of a ‘Dementia Village’. The idea calls for a unique, dementia-friendly community space that is accessible, safe, inclusive, and promotes activity, socialization, research initiatives, and training programs to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners.

On March 22, ASDR reviewed presentations for Dementia Village designs developed by Ontario Tech students who have worked with the university’s Brilliant Catalyst hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. The student designs consider a wide range of criteria, including accessibility, transportation and cost, and considerations such as language and culture.

The Dementia Village would also function as a learning environment to support teaching and training for Ontario Tech students as well as research initiatives to advance dementia care. With Ontario being the most diverse province in Canada, the partnership will address the current lack of dementia research focusing on the experiences of diverse groups and racialized communities.

About Alzheimer Society Durham Region

For more than four decades, ASDR has provided support and resources in the local community for thousands of families as they navigate the difficult path in caring for a loved one living with dementia. Each year, ASDR supports nearly 4,000 individuals impacted by dementia. As a registered charity and non-profit organization, ASDR relies on funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care as well as donations and fundraising initiatives to deliver programs and services across Durham Region.

Quotes

“ASDR has long recognized the value and significant impact that social and recreational programs can have on the lives of people living with dementia and their care partners. These programs provide cognitive stimulation, encourage peer support, relationship building, and a sense of purpose and belonging for our clients, as well as much-needed respite for care partners. We are excited to partner with Ontario Tech University on the development of a Dementia Village to bring an innovative solution to dementia care in our community. This community space would function as a hub for program delivery, research, and training to ensure that all people living with dementia in Durham Region have access to the best care possible – now and in the future.“
-Gillian Barrie, CEO, Alzheimer Society Durham Region

“Canada’s health-care system is just beginning to explore a holistic approach to health care combining social and medical models of wellness that encourages people living with dementia and their care partners to engage in activities to meet their non-clinical needs. Ontario Tech is delighted to work with Alzheimer Society Durham Region on the Dementia Village, an exciting initiative that also establishes the framework for the development and implementation of future community solutions.”
-Dr. Les Jacobs, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Ontario Tech University

Media contacts

Amanda McCawley
Communications and Marketing
Alzheimer Society Durham Region
289.278.8952
amccawley@alzheimerdurham.com

Bryan Oliver
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
289.928.3653 (mobile)
bryan.oliver@ontariotechu.ca

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