Program for wandering seniors gets whack of cash from province

The provincial government is shelling out nearly $600,000 to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario to deliver Finding Your Way, a wandering prevention program aimed towards seniors living with cognitive impairment. 

Sault Ste. Marie MPP Ross Romano joined Alzheimer Society of Sault Ste. Mare and Algoma District Executive Director Terry Caporossi at the local alzheimer society branch on Trunk Road Friday to announce the province-wide funding. 

“It’s important particularly with the increase of people that we see coming to the alzheimer society – the number of people that we see is increasing on an annual basis, and for those that are at risk of wandering, it could be very serious,” Caporossi told reporters following the announcement. “In order for us to continue to provide the education and support, funding such as this is very important to support the programs that we offer.” 

Caporossi says that the Finding Your Way funding will enable the coordinator of education for the local alzheimer society chapter to go out into the community to provide education to people with a diagnosis or the general public so they understand the risk of wandering for seniors.

According to the province, roughly 125,000 seniors in Ontario that live with dementia are at risk of wandering and going missing. 

“The funding is geared towards helping provide supports in communities through local Alzheimers office across the province, and the goal is to ensure that this funding is there to help families recognize the risks of dementia, recognize the signs of what to look for,” Romano said. 

According to the Alzheimer Society of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District, approximately 2,900 people have been diagnosed with cognitive impairment in the Algoma District, although that number could be doubled in the region due to under-reporting. 

“When you look at provincial statistics right across our province, we’re on a cusp of almost half a million in the province of Ontario that are dealing with dementia-related disease,” Caporossi said.

The funding was originally announced by the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility via news release last month.