The current trend of increasing numbers of people living with dementia has been likened to a tsunami that affects all aspects of life, everywhere in the world, in Canada and in Quebec.
Hope for Dementia has developed the Busy Box. Better Brain. program, which combines education and recreation to promote dementia prevention among seniors throughout the province of Québec.
Activity boxes containing items such as art and craft kits, magazine subscriptions, tablets with instruction manuals, are distributed to seniors in rural areas on a quarterly basis. Music workshops, group cooking sessions and physical activities are also included. Seniors acquire new, creative skills in a group setting, stay mentally alert, break social isolation, and learn more about dementia prevention. The project is funded by a grant from the Government of Québec’s Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québecois d’expression anglaise.
Reference material
- According to the results of a Psychological Science study, the memory function of older people is improved when they have a sustained engagement in new activities that are cognitively demanding or when new skills are acquired.
- Researchers have identified 14 risk factors, which if modified, could potentially reduce or delay the number of new diagnoses of dementia by 45%.
