Alzheimer Society receives funding to expand services

The Alzheimer Society of P.E.I. received funding Wednesday from the Community Foundation of P.E.I., which will allow it to expand its services to patients with dementia and their caregivers.

Since Dec. 2011, the Alzheimer Society has offered support to patients and caregivers through its First Link program. When a patient is diagnosed with dementia, their doctor can refer them to the Alzheimer Society so they can learn whatsupport and services are available. The society also offers workshops for caregivers, and checks in with them regularly to see how they are doing.

"The doctor really doesn't have time to usually be that ongoing support and to really help the family understand the diagnosis and provide education," said Kate Byrne, education coordinator at the Alzheimer Society.

• P.E.I. dementia strategy needed now: Alzheimer Society
• P.E.I. Alzheimer society seeking volunteer companions for Islanders with dementia

Too much for one person

Byrne said she runs the First Link program all on her own. That includes checking in with all 131 caregivers signed up for the program, as well as runningworkshops every few months.

The ongoing support that we try to provide our clients has become really difficult to provide with just one person.- Kate Byrne

"It has grown now to a point where the ongoing support that we try to provide our clients has become really difficult to provide with just one person coordinating the program," said Byrne.

With funding from the Community Foundation, Byrne will be able to share some of that workload. The Alzheimer Society will be using the funding to provide training to volunteers to help provide some of the First Link services.

Byrne said the volunteers will help with making follow up calls to caregivers, and also run some of the workshop sessions.

Expansion to rural areas

Byrne said the society also wants to expand its workshops to rural areas. Presently,the workshops are offered in Charlottetown, once a week for four weeks. She addedsome of the caregivers she works with are seniors, and may not be able to drive all the way to Charlottetown ifthey live far away.

"The other issue can be you know. you may be willing to drive, but that's quite a bit of time to be away from your loved one. And they may need 24 hour care. So it's just not possible to spend that much time away," said Byrne.

Byrne said she plans to train three volunteers one in each countyso that they can offer workshops in places that are more convenient for some of her clients.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Instagram takeover: P.E.I. 'a great place to be a food blogger' says Barbara Mayhew
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Harmony Wagner's $1K film set to debut at Atlantic Film Fest