All the latest news and stories about Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and the brain.

The brain is one of your most vital organs, playing a role in every action and every thought. Just like the rest of your body, your brain needs to be looked after. It's never too soon or too late to make lifestyle changes that will maintain or improve your brain health.

After seven years leading the Alzheimer Society of B.C., CEO Maria Howard will be leaving the organization to take a new role as CEO of Family Services of Greater Vancouver, a registered charity supporting thousands of families in the Greater Vancouver area who are living in need, in crisis, or with trauma.

In 1998, a group of determined hikers climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Alzheimer Society of B.C., a tradition that would continue for 17 years. From the seeds of this event the local Climb for Alzheimer’s was born, and over the next 8 years the event evolved and changed with over 2000 climbing the Grouse Grind® since 2012!

Advocacy starts with the willingness to share one’s story to help others understand the impact of the disease. To mark World Alzheimer’s Month, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. invites you to “Demystifying advocacy,” a two-part conversation on what it means to be a dementia advocate, taking place on September 28 and 29.

Powerlessness, guilt, frustration – these past few months have heightened the many emotional challenges that long-distance caregivers experience. This sense of powerlessness is something that Masami Yakata has felt acutely while living and working in Langley, B.C., thousands of kilometres away from her birthplace of Kyoto, Japan, where her mother Masako is living with dementia.

Since Jim Mann, a marketing and communications professional from Surrey, was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease at 58 years old, he’s been on a mission to make life better for other people affected by dementia.

Not many ten-year olds would consider spending their birthday climbing the 2,830 steps up the notoriously challenging Grouse Grind® – but young fundraiser Talia Yorish is determined to make a difference.

People living with dementia and their families often find that their health-care decision-making rights are not respected. The common misconception that people who live with dementia can’t make choices about their care is the background to a new series of short videos and brochures produced by the Canadian Centre for Elder Law to inform people living with dementia of their legal rights.

The provincial government has announced changes to the visitor guidelines for long-term care and assisted living facilities. Under the phased approach beginning in July, one designated friend or family member will be able to visit.

Marilyn and Wally Garrod have always lived an active lifestyle with their family, packing up to spend time in their summer cabin each year and kayaking on the lake. In the years following Wally’s diagnosis of dementia, they continued to stay active and engaged in the activities they loved with the support of friends and family – until a sudden decline in Wally’s motor skills this spring when he began requiring more support than Marilyn was able to provide, which left Marilyn feeling overwhelmed and unprepared for this next level of care.