Responding to the Needs of our Clients We launched a new program this year as a direct response to the growing needs of our clients – a caregiver support group specific to those supporting someone living with young-onset dementia. When you think about dementia, you likely imagine an elderly person. While age is the biggest risk factor, younger adults can also develop dementia. When symptoms start before the age of 65, it’s known as young-onset dementia. The symptoms of young-onset dementia present in similar ways, but the experiences of people with young-onset, and their friends and family, can be vastly different. Caring for young children still at home, still being in the workforce, and increased stigma are just some of the things that can make this experience different. We heard from clients impacted by young-onset dementia that they didn’t necessarily feel like they fit into the other caregiver support groups because their experience wasn’t the same.
Ann Sheree Reynolds cares for her husband, Doug, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at age 61. She is one of the members of the youngonset caregiver support group, and she had this to say: In creating the support groups for those experiencing a loved one with young-onset dementia, the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia has shown the willingness and commitment in providing groups tailored to the concerns and needs of the care partners. This is in addition to the various other supports they have developed over the years. It’s a unique opportunity to share with others who are experiencing the questions and emotions which accompany the diagnosis. Our group is helping to support one another as we navigate uncharted waters and finding hope for the future and sometimes humour for today. We’re proud we could meet this need in a timely manner and create a space where caregivers of people with young-onset dementia feel like they belong.
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This was clearly a gap that needed to be filled. Our team responded quickly to coordinate with interested clients and find facilitators.
