In Canada, more than 600,000 people are living with dementia, and this number is projected to increase to one million by 2030 (Canadian Institutes of Health Research 2023).

Dementia is not just a single condition. Instead, it is an overarching term that describes symptoms affecting brain function, from a loss of memory and coordination to weak and stiff muscles or mood and behaviour changes. This combination of conditions often calls for customized care to meet your loved one’s needs.

Bethany Care Society is a unique provider of highly specialized care for dementia residents in the Calgary Zone. Complex Dementia Care (CDC) is a program designed to manage residents with more complex behaviours and needs associated with Dementia. The CDC program is meant to be temporary (the average length of stay is between 6 and 18 months) with the eventual goal of returning residents to the home environment of their choice once stabilized. CDC creates a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages engagement in daily community living.

At Bethany, we deliver care differently. As one of Western Canada’s largest not-for-profit providers of senior care and housing, Bethany provides the right home at the right time and place with the right care. We are firmly grounded in evidence-based best practices and innovation in dementia care. We provide our residents with opportunities for moments of joy and purpose, creating a calm, peaceful state of being.

Types of Dementia

Dementia can come in many different shapes and forms. Lewy Body and Alzheimer’s are two types of dementia conditions we often see.

Lewy Body Disease:

Lewy body dementia (LBD) accounts for between 5 and 10% of all dementia cases. LBD occurs when abnormal protein deposits develop inside the brain’s nerve cells – called ‘Lewy bodies’. These Lewy bodies typically affect the areas of the brain involved with thinking and movement. The built-up mass of Lewy bodies blocks messages between brain cells, leading to dementia. LBD can occur in the same person alongside Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. When this happens, it is known as “mixed dementia”.

Alzheimer’s Disease:

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80% of all cases of dementia. However, not all people with dementia have Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is fatal and eventually affects all aspects of a person’s life – how they think, feel, and act. Each person is affected differently. It is incredibly difficult to predict the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, from the order in which they will appear or the speed of their progression. However, there are some warning signs you can look out for, available here through the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, here.
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For more information on how Bethany creates caring communities, please visit our website or reach out toll-free 1-888-410-4679.

For more information on Lewy Body Disease and Alzheimer’s, as well as other Dementia conditions, please visit: https://alzheimer.ca

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References:

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Date modified, 2023-06-09): https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/53508.html
• Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, Alzheimer’s Disease (Date modified, 2023-06-09): https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/what-alzheimers-disease
• Alzeimer’s Society of Canada, Lewy body disease (Date modified, 2023-06-09): https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/other-types-dementia/lewy-body-dementia?gclid=CjwKCAjwysipBhBXEiwApJOcu17aE_v_vMX3RD4uN5Zvdz1WjsmXhEJSmKbTqU8ONLlBoOFdFcAahRoCzkoQAvD_BwE