At Pet Day on Saturday, August 22, at Edgewater Park in Pointe-Claire, a weekend stroll for many opened the door to meaningful conversations about brain health. This subject can feel difficult and frightening for many.
At the Hope for Dementia booth, I met people of all ages, and every person I spoke with shared a story about a friend or relative who had lived with dementia.
The event created an important opportunity to connect and have difficult, sometimes emotional, conversations about the disease.
I found that sharing my experience of being a long-distance caregiver for my father, who lived with Alzheimer’s Disease, helped people share their concerns, particularly their fears of having the disease in later years.
People were especially interested in the 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia, and in the practical steps they could take to support long-term brain health. Focusing on the evidence that dementia may potentially be prevented or delayed helped shift the conversations from fear toward optimism and action.
A highlight of the day was meeting Alouettes de Montréal wide receiver Tyson Philpot #6 and quarterback Davis Alexander #10 and discussing the importance of concussion awareness and protecting brain health at every age. Their interest reinforced the day’s broader message: conversations about prevention, awareness, and brain health belong in every community and at every stage of life.
#BrainHealth #DementiaAwareness #DementiaPrevention #HopeForDementia #ConcussionAwareness #HealthyAging #CommunityHealth #PointeClaire
See the BIG picture. Focus on what’s important.
theBIGpicture Camille 