History
25th Anniversary of the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo
A Quarter Century Serving Kitchener-Waterloo 1984-2009
Twenty five years ago, a group of concerned citizens and caregivers banded together to create a voice for those living with dementia in our community. They believed that no person should ever walk the Alzheimer journey alone or live in the shadow of this misunderstood disease. It was through the extraordinary efforts of these dedicated volunteers that the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo was founded in 1984.
In September 2009, the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo celebrated its 25th anniversary of official status as a chapter of the provincial and national Alzheimer Society organizations. From our modest beginnings, the programs and services of the Society have grown to reach thousands through supportive counselling, respite, public education and caregiver training.
As we look back on a quarter century of help and hope in our community we reflect on our growth in fulfilling our mission “To assist those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias to be treated with dignity and respect by delivering programs, providing education and information, supporting research, and providing a voice within the community".
Influencing Attitudes
Once regarded as a shameful and incomprehensible disease, we have worked tirelessly to heighten the community’s awareness of Alzheimer's disease and build compassion for its many sufferers and their caregivers. Today, we strive to educate our community on the importance of early diagnosis and encourage healthy lifestyle choices and practices to reduce the risk.
Innovative Service & Programs
We strive to offer innovative programs such as First Link™, which will not only meet the needs of our community today, but will meet the changing and diverse needs of tomorrow. The Society’s expertise and experience in helping families at the community level and supporting health care workers and practitioners has established us as a trusted and leading authority on Alzheimer’s disease.
Advancing Research
The past 25 years have seen many breakthroughs in research including the discovery of genes known to cause Alzheimer’s disease and the discovery of a preventative treatment which is in the early stages of clinical trials. All of these accomplishments inspire hope for a world without Alzheimer’s disease.
The Next 25 Years
As the prevalence of dementia grows, so does the community of families and caregivers who look after loved ones. For every person with dementia, it is estimated that there are 10 to 12 others that are directly affected by this disease.
Locally, over 6,500 families are already struggling with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease; it is projected that the number of individuals diagnosed will more than double over the next 25 years. This growth will impact the society in unprecedented proportions as the need for our services and programs swells. We need the help of everyone in our community to ensure the needs of people living with dementia and their caregivers continue to be met.
In our 25 year history, our services and programs have never been needed to this extent.