Why I support B.C.’s battle against dementia
Hitting home: Caring for a loved one with brain disease is difficult, even with proper support
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia already affect 70,000 British Columbians and their families. This figure is expected to double in a single generation and by 2038, more than 177,000 British Columbians will be living with dementia.
I supported raising money for research into Alzheimer’s disease and dementia even before my family became part of the story.
My father-in-law began to experience symptoms of dementia 12 years ago. Jim Hughes was a highly-intelligent and hardworking man, a senior vice-president of a trucking company.
The first sign of the disease was him getting lost while driving or when trying to find parking after dropping his wife off. However, it took a while for Jim to be diagnosed as having Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), a progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking and reasoning.
When his 80th birthday approached, Jim had to renew his driver’s license in line with Ontario driving laws and, instead of applying, he tore his license up. Jim knew he would not pass the test in his condition.
Once Jim had been diagnosed, we worked closely with a local hospital and the staff were fantastic at giving him mind games and puzzles to challenge this thinking. His wife Shirl — who died six months ago from cancer — was a wonderful caregiver who worked hard to keep him mentally stimulated and get him out in the community often.
My father-in-law is now 89 and we’re lucky to have him with us. He is in a care home just 10 minutes from our house and we get to see him at least every other day. The staff are immensely dedicated and caring, and I’m grateful for their hard work. They look after him well and provide mental stimulation, too, by introducing simple games such as throw and catch.
For me, the hardest part of having a family member with dementia is understanding that, while they look like the same person physically, they aren’t the same person mentally. The disease changes people and that’s hard to accept.
For people who find themselves in a similar situation, it’s important to remember it’s often the disease speaking and not the person you knew. Sometimes my father-in-law recognizes me, sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he recognizes his grandchildren, and sometimes he doesn’t. It’s hard to watch and find acceptance.
A psychologist once told me the best thing I can do is make him smile and laugh whenever I see him, regardless of whether he knows me or not. I strive to do this as often as I can.
Support groups can also be valuable. The Alzheimer Society of B.C. offers these, along with many other support services. My father-in-law went to similar groups in the early days of having the disease.
Dementia has become a personal issue and I support this cause whenever I can. I’ll be participating in the Scotiabank Hockey for Alzheimer’s event Nov. 13-15 at Planet Ice Delta to raise money for this cause.
This event is an opportunity for B.C. businesses to put a team on the ice and play alongside NHL Alumni. I’ll be there along with Greg ‘Gus’ Adams, Dave Babych, Jyrki Lumme, Cliff Ronning and many more.
This is the fourth consecutive year I’ve participated in this tournament and it’s a fulfilling opportunity. Since NHL Alumni started participating 10 years ago, we’ve raised more than $32 million for Alzheimer’s across Canada.
As the baby boomers age, more people will experience dementia. The greater the awareness of the disease and its increasing prevalence, the better support can be offered. I’m looking forward to doing my part this fall to help put Alzheimer’s on ice.