Exploring the question “What does the BC Brain Wellness Program mean to you?” has been a theme throughout the past year. The answers from our participants, instructors and staff have been inspiring and have guided us as we worked on our three goals; expansion, evaluation and sustainability. 

Each September, individuals and organizations unite to raise awareness and support for Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia. With that in mind (no pun intended!), this blog will focus on what Alzheimer’s disease is, current research on dementia, effective prevention strategies and tips for managing life post-diagnosis. 

Fall and winter are both beautiful seasons that each bring their unique idiosyncrasies and charm. In our Northern Hemisphere, what these beautiful seasons have in common is the decreasing length of day and decreased amount of sunlight an individual may obtain. To some, the shorter days can negatively affect productivity and mood, and even lead to more persistent health effects on others. A common ailment is “seasonal affective disorder”, which is predicted to affect 2-10% of Canadians in their lifetime.

The power of connecting with people from different generations is often under-recognized in the world we live in today. To encourage intergenerational relationships, the BC Brain Wellness Program is once again offering the opportunity for senior participants to share unique life experiences with university students. Applications will open up this August 29/22 during the BC Brain Wellness Fall Registration.

The Participant Advisory Committee (PAC) is a select group of Brain Wellness Program (BWP) participants who are helping improve the program. We have had a wonderful year with the 2021-2022 PAC group, and are calling out for new applicants to fill positions on the 2022-2023 PAC!

Have you ever noticed that you often feel better after having been outside?

Whether it is sitting quietly on your back deck or on an active hike, a growing body of research suggests that time outdoors and in nature has a positive effect on our mind as well as on our body.

As some of you may know, the BC Brain Wellness Program offers an online photography class! This class is focused on learning the fundamentals of photography while experiencing the mindfulness that comes along with taking a photo.

The World Federation of Neurology (WFN), established on July 22, 1957, brought forth the idea of ‘World Brain Day’ in 2013 as a means to increase public awareness and promote brain health. It has since been endorsed and remains an annual celebration, held on the 22nd of July each year.

In Canada, Brain Injury Awareness Month is every June. Each year, organizations across Canada raise awareness about:

1. Prevalence of brain injuries.

2. Obstacles that people with brain injuries encounter.

3. The need for more services and forms of support for different stages of recovery.

As Mr. Rogers said in the movie: “anything mentionable is manageable”. With courage and practice, talking about feelings can become easier. However, people (directly or indirectly) learn to ignore their emotions because they are uncomfortable or threaten a sense of belonging to others who are needed (like partners, friends, family). Left unexpressed, emotions can fester inside our bodies, causing all kinds of unwanted health impacts. Emotional suppression can leave us feeling overwhelmed and out of control.

What is the BC Brain Wellness Exercise Program?

The BC Brain Wellness Program offers free evidence-based exercise classes for individuals with chronic brain conditions, care partners, and healthy agers. The purpose of this program is to promote clinically relevant lifestyle approaches to improve and sustain the quality of life and function of participants. The exercise program is evidence-based, which means that the foundation of each class was created in consultation with current research investigating the various benefits of exercise. In general, research suggests that appropriately designed exercise programming has the potential to provide cognitive and physical benefits for the aging brain when conducted safely and performed consistently 1-6.

The Intergenerational Storytelling Project beautifully connected nine student/senior pairs through storytelling for health and wellness. Online orientation sessions highlighted the health benefits of storytelling and participants undoubtedly witnessed the power of sharing lived experiences in promoting a sense of community and belonging. The duos created a physical storybook that highlighted life recollections of the senior. To conclude the project, everyone shared their experience participating in this project at a community celebration.

April 24-30 is National Volunteer Week – this week (and all other weeks!), we celebrate the wonderful volunteers of the BC Brain Wellness Program and beyond. This year’s theme revolves around Empathy in Action, which affirms the strong connection between volunteerism and empathy. During National Volunteer Week, we celebrate the contributions of volunteers: their actions, their understanding, and their genuine concern for the world around them. 

Do you know which neurological condition is the second most common reason for a neurological outpatient visit (after headache/migraine)? Would you say MS or maybe Parkinson's? In fact, it is functional neurological disorder (FND), but don't feel bad if you've never heard of it - most people haven't. That's why FND Hope International is on a mission to raise awareness of the disorder, including designating April as World FND Month.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, March is Sleep Awareness Month. Many of us are well aware of the feeling a day after a night of very little sleep. Many of us have experienced the feeling of exhaustion or fatigue at some point in our lives. Sleep is important for your mental and physical well-being. Sleep can impact our learning and memory, stress responses, pain perception, emotion regulation, immunity, and more! Below are some fun facts about sleep, followed by resources. 

Brain Awareness Week began in 1996 in the United States as an effort to bring together diverse groups interested in brain health with a goal to promote the value of brain research for treatment, prevention, and possible cures. This global education initiative led by the Dana Foundation now has 7,300 partnerships in 117 countries. The Dana Foundation is a private philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of the brain and has an excellent website celebrating Brain Awareness Week with interesting articles and engaging activities.

Did you know that Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world? About 93,000 Canadians are living with MS, and this number is only rising. MS is a chronic autoimmune disease that targets the central nervous system, which can affect vision, memory, balance, and mobility.

Do you ever wonder what self-love is actually about? Do you hear co-workers or friends talk about how love and kindness has changed their life? Have you ever heard a family member express compassion for themself and wondered “how do I do that”? Well, you are not alone. 

The practice of love and kindness, while inherent to each of us, can be harder to engage in depending on life circumstances. Today you are going to learn three ways that you start practising more love and kindness in your life.

And these emotional resiliency tools actually work!

(Most) people love hugs. And, every year on January 21st, the world has an opportunity to hug one other a little more, thanks to National Hugging Day. The day was started by Rev. Kevin Zaborney, a pastor in Clio, Michigan, in 1986. Zaborney thought of the idea while studying psychology at the University of Michigan. He said he realized "there was no such day to observe the very important act of hugging one another." To his surprise, after its launch, it immediately went global.

In an increasingly uncertain world, it is so important to show people living with dementia they’re not alone. This Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, British Columbians are sharing their experiences and thoughts on the value of staying connected to the people in their lives who are affected by the disease – whether they’re living with dementia or caring for someone who is – to say, “Don’t change. Even if they do.”