People are living longer, but the cost of caregiving is something many Canadians don’t plan for. Our guest this episode is Dr. Zahinoor Ismail. He’s a dementia expert and Clinician Scientist at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary. He’ll tell us all about the often overlooked emotional and financial impacts of caring for those with dementia as well as the research he’s doing with the help of charity Gordie Howe CARES. 

For more information on the University of Calgary CAN-PROTECT caregiver study and for caregiver resources visit Gordie Howe CARES. 

Key moments this episode: 

1:27 – What exactly is dementia and how it is different from Alzheimer's? 

3:23 – What is meant by the term “caregiver”? How has the definition evolved? 

5:46 – Three major factors that can contribute to the burden on a family/friend caregiver 

10:19 – The financial and emotional cost of caring for a loved one 

11:20 – How Gordie Howe CARES is helping caregivers 

14:20 – An example of the financial burdens of caregiving 

15:14 – What about the taboo around having a loved one with cognitive decline? How does that affect caregivers? 

15:56 – The two things Dr. Ismail finds rewarding about this work 

17:33 – How can caregiving be made a positive experience?