As people advance in age, one of the concerns is the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. According to research performed by the Alzheimer Society of Canada, nearly 1 million people will be living with dementia. That number is projected to grow to 1.5 million by 2050.
In Yellowknife, AVENS is currently home to close to 30 people who are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s. They are living in what’s called AVEN Cottages, a living arrangement specifically designed to provide support for those 60 years of age or older. The cottages were opened in 2010 with funding from the GNWT and help from Diavik Diamond Mines and Nahanni Construction.
There are two cottages — Redwood and Cedar — and each one holds 14 private rooms. Both buildings each have a common dining room area, kitchen and living room.
In addition to that, there are other programs available to help.
“Singing and dancing seem to calm seniors down, especially those with Alzheimer’s. It brings back happy memories and provides cognitive support,” said Darryl Dolynny, CEO of AVENS.
He mentioned the Alzheimer Society’s Let’s Sing program, which is regularly held at their facility.
One of the new initiatives introduced last year was ‘Project Oasis’, supported by DeBeers Canada. The project involved employees from DeBeers volunteering their time between work schedules to help renovate the facility’s backyard.
“We transformed everything here over a period of almost two years. It just opened up our facility, added some colour, and created an inviting oasis,” said Dolynny.
Dolynny also pointed to pet therapy for individuals living with Alzheimer’s.
“We have dogs that come and visit us on a regular basis, but we also have our new bunnies for bunny therapy,” he said.
The yet-to-be-named bunnies went to a local farm during the evacuation last summer and have since returned to the facility.
“Pet therapy is huge. The residents love these. They’ll cuddle them up,” Dolynny said.
Dolynny also discussed the organization’s technological advancements, particularly the ‘Care on Call’ system. This system, which goes beyond a traditional nurse bell program, allows residents to wear a wrist pendant or necklace that can notify the facility’s global system if they are in distress.
The technology also enables the tracking of response times to call events and provides proximity alerts. This feature can be particularly useful for Alzheimer’s patients who may not get along, as it can warn nursing staff if certain individuals get too close to each other.
“It’s peace of mind. It also will actually help you build the technology. The database technology is fantastic,” Dolynny said.