In last week’s post entitled, Showing Vulnerability to Build Awareness, I talked about a new Alzheimer Society of Canada awareness campaign I am featured in. 

I wanted to revisit the topic and discuss how powerful I think this campaign is. I read all of the stories included on the website and found them both inspiring and disheartening, simultaneously.

I did discover some very interesting patterns interwoven throughout the stories, including:

• the level of care and understanding differed based on geographical location;
• stigma still exists and it is primarily based on a lack of education;
• the diagnosis and the disease itself greatly impact caregivers and families, which is still not being addressed in the way it could and should be; and 
• the person suffering from dementia is still a person and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

These people were brave enough to talk about how they live with dementia on a daily basis. I  strongly encourage anyone living with this disease to discuss their situation as it is in itself unique. 

The only way to start addressing stigma is by getting the word out there and discussing dementia in a meaningful way. I want to know how you live with dementia.

Let’s build a network of people living with dementia and their caregivers to educate the public. Ours is a compelling and cautionary tale; one that’s only just beginning for an entire generation.