Alzheimer Society of Ontario, AGE-WELL, University of Alberta host Locating Technology Forum to improve dementia care

TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2016 /CNW/ - On December 1, 2016, the Alzheimer Society of Ontario in partnership with AGE-WELL and the University of Alberta will host Ontario's first Locating Technology & Dementia Provincial Forum at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel in Toronto, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

With generous funding from the Province of Ontario, the Forum will bring together researchers, product manufacturers and policy makers, as well as local Alzheimer Societies and people living with dementia, their families and caregivers, to share information on the latest trends and impact of locating technologies on dementia care. Registration for the day-long forum is free, and lunch is provided.

The Forum will unveil the updated Finding Your Way^® website, which will help educate participants on real-life applications of locating devices for people with dementia. Forum partners will also showcase a new website where anyone impacted by dementia can navigate various options for selecting and purchasing locating technologies. This online consumer database was made possible through funding from the 2016-17 AGE-WELL Strategic Investment Program grant.

The Honourable Dipika Damerla, Minister Responsible for Seniors Affairs, will be present to provide closing remarks, with an introduction by Chris Dennis, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario.

"Our government is committed to addressing the needs of people with dementia, their caregivers and their communities," says Dipika Damerla, Minister Responsible for Seniors Affairs. "We are proud to work with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario to deliver the Finding Your Way program, an invaluable resource for all Ontarians who are affected by dementia."

Over 564,000 Canadians - including 200,000 Ontarians - are currently living with dementia, and countless others are impacted by the disease as caregivers who are usually family members. Sixty per cent of people with dementia will go missing at some point, and half of those who are lost for 24 hours risk serious injury and even death. While keeping people with dementia safe in our communities requires a multi-pronged approach, exciting advancements in locating technologies play an important role in enhancing dementia care.

To register for the forum, visit bit.ly/2ePiG67 or contact Cathy Conway, Director, Quality Management and Education at the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, at [email protected] or 416-967-5900 ext. 8931.

SOURCE Alzheimer Society of Ontario

Media contact: Bridget Quammie, Finding Your Way® Awareness Coordinator, [email protected], Tel: [phone], ext. 2306