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A lot of us are fearful these days. But it must be particularly scary for those who are aware something serious is happening while at the same time not understanding why none of the people they trust are looking after them any more or even willing to get near them. It's at least as horrifying for those closest to them, those who really do care but feel helpless and heartsick in the face of the pandemic.
I knew that I wanted to contribute to some organization dedicated to helping people with cognitive impairments and dementia was at the top of my list, given how COVID-19 has swept through long term care homes.
The Alzheimer Society of Canada does have a COVID-19 and Dementia Task Force which seems to be doing some excellent work; I have bookmarked their site and plan to return to it at regular intervals.
In the end, though, the charity I selected for this week was Hope for Dementia, a federal charity based in Montreal. Its main objectives are outlined very clearly and I opted to support Objective no. 3, to establish a research chair at a Canadian university:
https://hopefordementia.org
Up to now, most pharmaceutical treatments have been limited to delaying and slowing mental decline but there's some promising research and possibly clinical trials going on now that may eventually allow some reversal of dementia. Aducanumab, for example, is an antibody drug that acts to untangle some of the amyloid beta plaques and particles that are responsible for memory loss and cognitive decline.
In recent years and maybe even decades, it strikes me that Canadian governments have neglected research - certainly basic research but even applied research - in favour of fighting fires and scoring votes. Public research funding may be just window dressing, so it falls to the charitable sector to flesh out the mannequins in the storefront window.
It may not be soon enough for those of my generation, but one hopes that it will be a legacy of sorts to the future.
I knew that I wanted to contribute to some organization dedicated to helping people with cognitive impairments and dementia was at the top of my list, given how COVID-19 has swept through long term care homes.
The Alzheimer Society of Canada does have a COVID-19 and Dementia Task Force which seems to be doing some excellent work; I have bookmarked their site and plan to return to it at regular intervals.
In the end, though, the charity I selected for this week was Hope for Dementia, a federal charity based in Montreal. Its main objectives are outlined very clearly and I opted to support Objective no. 3, to establish a research chair at a Canadian university:
https://hopefordementia.org
Up to now, most pharmaceutical treatments have been limited to delaying and slowing mental decline but there's some promising research and possibly clinical trials going on now that may eventually allow some reversal of dementia. Aducanumab, for example, is an antibody drug that acts to untangle some of the amyloid beta plaques and particles that are responsible for memory loss and cognitive decline.
In recent years and maybe even decades, it strikes me that Canadian governments have neglected research - certainly basic research but even applied research - in favour of fighting fires and scoring votes. Public research funding may be just window dressing, so it falls to the charitable sector to flesh out the mannequins in the storefront window.
It may not be soon enough for those of my generation, but one hopes that it will be a legacy of sorts to the future.
