Reducing the stigma surrounding cognitive decline can help those who have been diagnosed with dementia, speakers at a Memory Cafe in Summerland said.
The Memory Cafe was held at the Summerland Library and Summerland Museum on May 28.
“The stigma is so huge,” said Dr. Juanita-Dawne Bacsu, assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University and the keynote speaker at the event. “It’s so important to move past it.”
She said talking about dementia and its effects can help communities develop ways to help those who have been diagnosed.
“So often the solutions exist in our communities,” she said.
Bacsu is working on interviewing and holding focus groups for those who have been diagnosed with dementia.
Christine Aiken, a member of the board of Dementia Alliance International, also spoke about the stigma associated with dementia.
She was diagnosed 11 years ago, when she was living in Vernon. At that time, there were few resources to help those with dementia.
Aiken said it is important to be open about a dementia diagnosis, as communities will then work to help those affected.
“When the village embraces you, there’s nothing you cannot do,” she said.
She added that there is sigma and fear around research into dementia, but said the research helped her develop the skills she's needed.
The Memory Cafe also included workshops on calligraphy, healing sounds, yoga, harp music and more.
Barb Stewart, an organizer of the event, said these activities can help those with dementia and can slow the decline associated with dementia.
