Kamloops caregivers will learn vital skill of health advocacy at upcoming workshop

NEWS — When you need support, knowing how to effectively ask for what you need is key.

For Kamloops families living with dementia, it’s an essential skill. They have to navigate a complex health-care system to get care for their family member. Accessing services, writing letters — it can all be part of a family caregiver’s new role. And in this new role, caregivers can benefit from learning advocacy strategies.

“Advocacy simply means speaking up — for yourself or for someone else,” says Tara Hildebrand, regional support & education coordinator for Kamloops and the Central Interior for the Alzheimer Society of B.C.

She said people with dementia often are unable to make their needs and wishes known, or others may not listen to them, so somebody else has to speak to doctors, caregivers, health-care providers and other professionals.

“The advocate’s main job is to communicate, and there can be a lot of communicating to do,” Hildebrand said.

Navigating a complex health-care system can be confusing. Families find they need to follow up and advocate to ensure the person’s needs are met.

Hildebrand said the society offers plenty of help to develop a strong and effective voice. It has created a brand new workshop, Your Voice Matters: Advocacy Tips for Family Caregivers, in response to an increasing demand for support from caregivers.

“This will help residents make sense of the formal health-care system and addresses how different advocacy strategies can help ensure your family gets the help and support you need, when you need it,” Hildebrand said.

The workshop comes to Kamloops on Tuesday, April 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Alzheimer Society Resource Centre, 405 – 235 1st Avenue.

Pre-registration is required. For information and to sign up, contact Hildebrand at 250-377-8200 or thildebrand@alzheimerbc.org.

The workshop is free thanks to partial funding by the Province of B.C., Seacliff Foundation, Merck Canada Inc., Pfizer Canada Inc., Lohn Foundation, Djavad Mowafaghian Foundation, Al Roadburg Foundation and individual donors.

More information on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, as well as resources for living with their impact, are available by visiting www.alzheimerbc.org.