When Moira was diagnosed with young onset dementia at the age of 51, she and her family had some difficult decisions to make.
\nShe had to take early retirement from her job as a high school math teacher in Brampton, Ontario; designate her oldest daughter and husband as primary caregivers; and enroll in a day program for people with dementia while her family is at work.
\nBut there was at least one easy decision \u2014 joining the MedicAlert Safely Home program, a service exclusively for people living with dementia. Moira and her family knew safety had to be part of their care plan.
\n\u201cMy sister was already a subscriber for her Crohn\u2019s disease,\u201d says Kathleen, Moira\u2019s oldest daughter. \u201cIt seemed like a good idea for mom.\u201d
\nIf her sister were to experience debilitating complications and was unable to tell emergency responders, her bracelet would do the talking. So, when the family learned MedicAlert had expanded its service to those with dementia, they knew they wanted it for Moira too.
\nThe service \u2014 along with its well-recognized engraved bracelet \u2014 helps emergency responders treat people quickly and effectively when they can\u2019t speak for themselves. It\u2019s offered in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Canada and is available across North America.
\nMoira wears a bracelet with an engraving indicating she has memory loss. It also has a 1-800 number which is staffed 24\/7 by emergency hotline specialists who notify her family where she is when a Good Samaritan calls. Hotline specialists also have access to her photo, physical description, vital medical information and possible locations where she might be found.
\nMoira, now 57, was a marathon walker before her illness, and her family wanted her to continue as long as possible. The bracelet has helped. She now has difficulty recognizing landmarks and no longer walks on her own. She uses a ride-share service to get to and from her day program.
\n\u201cYou can\u2019t be there all the time. The bus might break down or something else might happen,\u201d says Kathleen. \u201cEven if she doesn\u2019t remember her name, the medications she\u2019s taking or where she lives, this special service gives us peace of mind.\u201d
\nFind more information online at www.alzheimer.ca\/medicalertsafelyhome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"