United Minds
Programs & Services
United Minds
United Minds is an innovative program you won’t find anywhere else. It is designed to provide a safe, nurturing environment where seniors with dementia and other cognition challenges can enjoy a positive life experience.
United’s communities provide a sense of home and belonging, which are important if you’re living with dementia. We have designed community spaces to encourage all residents to explore, create, engage and relax at any time.
I have learned so many things here. The programming is basically over the top. There is so much to participate in if you take advantage of it.
Getting to know dementia
Dementia describes a set of symptoms that are caused by different disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease or stroke that affect the brain. These symptoms may include things like memory loss, difficulties with language, or problem solving. They are severe enough to interfere with daily life.
Dementia is a shift in the way a person experiences the world.
Dr. Al Power
Research confirms that getting a diagnosis of dementia is the single greatest fear that people have about growing older. This is due in part to a widespread lack of awareness and understanding about the disease. This fear is the reason that the symptoms of dementia are commonly misinterpreted to be a normal part of aging or as a sign of mental illness. The truth is that the symptoms of dementia are caused by progressive damage to the brain.
The stigma around dementia can create a negative reputation that discredits individuals living with the disease. It prevents them from fully participating in all aspects of their lives.
It doesn’t have to be that way
This disease can affect us all, regardless of our health, social status, gender or occupation. The numbers tell the story. Your risk of getting dementia increases as you age. The disease impacts 1 in 11 older adults over 65 and 1 in 3 older adults over the age of 80.**
While these statistics may seem discouraging, it’s important to know that there is still life with dementia. As our aging population is growing it’s arguably more important than ever before to consider how the disease will impact your life.
The reality is that as of 2016, there are 13,000 individuals living with some form of dementia in Calgary.*
*Statistics and Projected Growth report, Alzheimer Society Calgary
What are the things most important to you to live well?
We recognize that living with dementia is life changing. You may feel a range of emotions when you first get the diagnosis. Now you know that your increased forgetfulness or difficulty finding the right word is caused by a disease. But keep in mind that your dementia journey is unique and you still deserve to have a good quality of life, whatever that may mean to you.
Living with dementia does not mean you have to stop being who you are. No matter where you are on your dementia journey, you are still entitled and able to have new adventures, to make new friends and to learn new things. As dementia progresses, you will experience changes and find that things that were once simple tasks can become more difficult. At United, we have purposely designed our environments, our United Minds program and our specialized staff education to support you in maintaining your independence along your journey.
