Every journey has its predictable and unexpected, mundane and exceptional, annoying and delightful elements. Dementia is a unique journey that arrives unannounced making it challenging to prepare for and navigate.
Whether you, a family member or a neighbour is diagnosed with dementia, no two journeys are the same. It can be a confusing and isolating experience yet two local businesses and their passionate owners are making a difference in the lives of many Leasiders navigating the dementia journey.
“Our website is a one-stop curated site for people caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s,” says Barbara Allan of ALL-Alzheimer’s. When asked what inspired the website, she responded, “At a dinner party in 2015 my future partners Lilianne Vidicek, Chloë Arnould and I found ourselves pondering what others were doing to support themselves and their loved ones coping with dementia. After much research, we discovered the offerings were slim and scattered. That’s when we decided to do something to make a difference. We’ve all put much care, effort and funding into creating this site for caregivers.”
Barbara also offered, “Our motto, Carry on…Life Can Continue with Joy!, conveys our optimism for increased awareness and support for those, in our midst, on the dementia journey.” ALL-Alz.com.
Jane Teasdale and her partner Nathalie Anderson are entrepreneurs with heart making a difference for seniors and their caregivers on the dementia journey. And they’re gaining recognition for their innovative programs and services here in Leaside, the broader GTA and Europe through their company, Mosaic Home Care.
The comfortable furniture and aromatic tea served in china cups adds a homey feel to Mosaic’s community centre, housed at the CNIB Centre, on the northern edge of Leaside. Here they offer many complimentary sessions on a diverse range of topics such as Fall Prevention, Memory Café, Mindfulness, and Pole Walking Club, to name a few, along with a robust collection of resource materials.
Jane humbly reports that “last fall I was a featured speaker at a London, UK conference where Mosaic Home Care and Community Resource Centres was awarded the European Society for Person Centred Healthcare’s Gold Medal for our person-centred community focused model of care. Our unique The Meaning of Me® program, a departure from the prevailing medical model of care, offers older people with complex high support requirements services that keep them active and connected to their community.”
In August, she’ll be presenting at the International Federation on Ageing’s 14th Global Conference being held in Toronto and in Lyon, France in September. www.mosaichomecare.com.
