Cornwall Ontario  – Yesterday, Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry was honoured to rise in the House of Commons to declare that his office is the first Member of Parliament office to be recognized as a Dementia Friendly Community in Canada.

Last week, the entire constituency office staff and MP Guy Lauzon completed training with the Alzheimer Society of Cornwall & District to better understand dementia, to recognize its symptoms and to learn some tips on how to more effectively communicate with those who are living with this disease.

“I am proud to say, that my office, is the first MP office in Canada to be certified as a Dementia Friendly Community. Becoming a Dementia Friendly Community is a simple task that will go a long way in dispelling myths about dementia and helping to eliminate the stigma that many, of the over half a million Canadians living with dementia, feel daily”, stated MP Lauzon.

3 out of 4 Canadians have been touched by dementia, be it a family member, a friend, a neighbour.

“We are very pleased that MP Guy Lauzon and his entire office were trained to become a dementia friendly community. In addition to that, our local MP became a champion by using his leadership to inspire his colleagues to take similar actions within their communities. Supporting people who are living with dementia starts with understanding dementia, becoming a dementia friend and looking at how your neighbourhood, business or organization can do simple things to help support people with dementia and their caregivers enriches everyone’s engagement within our communities” stated Shelley Vaillancourt, Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of Cornwall & District.

Understanding will go a long way in improving the quality of life for those living with dementia and for their care-partners. The education provided by the Alzheimer Society shows us how we can support people living with dementia to remain in their communities, their service groups, and their homes for
longer, surrounded by people who truly understand them and are willing to embrace methods to keep them included and support them to be actively engaged in their communities.

MP Lauzon urged his colleagues, along with all other businesses, service groups and other community organizations to contact the Alzheimer Society and ask to become a Dementia Friendly Community.

Anyone interested in finding out how to turn their neighbourhood, business or organization into a dementia friendly community is welcome to call the Alzheimer Society at 613-932-4914. There is no charge for this service.