In honour of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, CABHI is featuring a new piece of content each week over the month of January. Every week corresponds to one of CABHI’s five core Innovation Themes. This week’s theme is care coordination and navigation.
What is dementia? Is it a normal part of aging? These are just some of the questions that we’ll be answering on this episode of CABHI’s Community of Innovation podcast.
In honour of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, we’re teaming up with Dr. Howard Chertkow (Professor of Neurology at the University of Toronto, Senior Scientist at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute, and Scientific Director of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging), Maria Muzzi (Social Worker at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto), and Laura McGill (Public Education Coordinator at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto) to debunk common myths associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
With our panel of expert guests we’ll separate fact from fiction when it comes to the ways dementia affects our physical and mental health and quality of life as we age. We’ll also learn how dementia myths can impact caregivers and some of the ways they can receive support to maintain the well-being of people living with dementia, and importantly, themselves.
Here are just some of the myths our experts debunk on this episode:
- Dementia only affects older adults
- People diagnosed with dementia must move into long-term care
- Family members have an obligation to be the primary caregiver for their loved ones living with dementia throughout their journey
Listen to hear more!
Learn more about our guests:
Dr. Howard Chertkow
Dr. Howard Chertkow is a Professor of Neurology at the University of Toronto, a Senior Scientist at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute, and Scientific Director of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, the Canadian national umbrella group overseeing dementia research in Canada.
Dr. Chertkow is also a practicing cognitive neurologist at Baycrest Health Sciences and the University of Toronto. He spent 25 years as a cognitive neurologist at the Jewish General Hospital at McGill University in Montreal before moving to Baycrest Health Sciences in 2018. He continues to see patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias in their early stages for diagnosis and treatment.
Maria Muzzi
Maria Muzzi has been with the Alzheimer Society of Toronto since 2018 and has over 8 years of experience in the non-profit sector providing support to seniors and their families. Having studied social work and psychology, Maria currently serves on the Social Work team at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, providing support to anyone impacted by dementia. Passionate about mental health and helping others, Maria continues to embrace learning every day.
Laura McGill
Laura McGill is a Public Education Coordinator at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto. Laura has over 15 years of experience working with seniors, people living with dementia, and their care partners. She has worked in various settings, including community support services, elderly persons centres, retirement homes, long-term care homes, and a family health team memory clinic, as well as supervising an adult day program. Laura has a diploma in recreation management in gerontology and a bachelor’s degree in gerontology. In her current role as an educator, Laura delivers dementia education to seniors, healthcare professionals, and the general public.
