Town of Osoyoos appoints a new planning manager
New poll shows nearly 2/3 of demential patients feel shunned due to illness
During her career as a banker, Oliver woman Donna Wager prided herself on being meticulous and paying attention to details. But now as she copes with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, she’s beginning to struggle to remember little things, like her age.
“I just turned 65,” she responded when asked in an interview Thursday.
“No, 64,” her husband, Mike, gently reminded her.
“Yes, I’ll be 65 this July,” she confirmed with a laugh.
Wager is maintaining a sense of humour as she adapts to a new normal in which she has trouble finding things, recalling if she ate breakfast and even following recipes.
She began noticing her memory slipping about two years ago and went to a doctor for help. Medication lifts the “cloud” that seems to have formed over her brain, but it won’t reverse the effects of the disease.
“I guess it’s just holding it at bay for a little bit,” said Wager.
She’s one of an estimated 750,000 people in Canada who are living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia symptoms, which a new poll suggests come with painful social stigmas.
The survey, conducted by Leger in November on behalf of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, found 61 per cent of those with dementia have been ignored or dismissed by others because of their symptoms, while 59 per cent reported being taken advantage of by people who preyed on their illness.
Wager is no stranger to the unease that comes with her condition, and is sometimes reluctant to tell people about it, lest they dismiss what she has to say or decide not to spend time developing a relationship with her.
“Alzheimer’s is one of those things that does have that stigma attached that (patients) are all sort of sitting around rocking in a chair, and that’s not necessarily the case,” she said.
Other than being forgetful, she’s still leads a normal life and enjoys her retirement through hobbies like reading and baking.
To help her cope, she’s turned to the Penticton branch of the Alzheimer’s Society of B.C., which runs a support group for those like her with early-stage difficulties.
“It’s nice to be in a group where people are going through the same things you are, and then you don’t feel as inhibited talking about it, because they understand – or they’re going to understand shortly,” explained Wager.
Her husband attends a caregivers’ support group in Oliver, where he, too, learns from the experiences of others.
“It gives me a window where I can hopefully see what is ahead of me,” he said.
“People talk about it and I think it’s good to get it out.”
Besides co-ordinating the groups in Oliver and Penticton, plus others in Summerland, Osoyoos and Princeton, the society’s Mary Beth Rutherford also does public presentations and handles referrals from local health professionals.
“Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start or how to navigate, so we’re sort of that launch-off spot for people,” she explained, noting the society serves people with all forms of dementia, not just Alzheimer’s disease.
Wager chose to share her story now so that others may benefit from it and seek help for themselves or loved ones early on like she did.
“Maybe you’ve got an aunt or an uncle or a brother whose showing those sort of symptoms,” she said. “Gently suggest they get checked.”
To contact the local branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, call 250-493-8182 or email info.penticton@alzheimerbc.org.