Jim Mann will tell you himself that people wouldnt otherwise think he suffers from an incurable disease.
He can walk, he can talk and he looked good in his dark suit as he made an eloquent speech to city council at a meeting last Wednesday.
But looks can be deceiving, Mann told council.
Mann has Alzheimers, a disease he was diagnosed with in 2007 at 58 years old while working for his own communications company. Prior to speaking to council, the only clue Mann gave that he had Alzheimers was the lanyard around his neck, which informs people he has the disease and to please be patient with him.
When you get the diagnosis, and especially with no family history any maybe no first-hand knowledge of the disease it can hit you in the gut, said Mann, who grew up in Vancouver before moving to Ottawa as an airline worker.
He now lives in Surrey, where he took transit to get to city hall Wednesday. He spoke to council after hearing from Mary Clare Zak, the citys social policy director, who updated politicians on what her staff is doing to make Vancouver a more age and dementia-friendly city.
The reason for the initiative is simple: 10,133 Vancouver residents were living with dementia in 2011 and that number is expected to more than double in 20 years as the citys seniors population grows.
We sometimes have an image or a perception that theyre living in long-term care, said Zak of the citys residents diagnosed with different forms of dementia, the most prevalent being Alzheimers. But more than half live in our communities and are living in their own homes.
And therein lies the challenge, Mann said in his speech.
The person with a dementia needs to get out, he or she needs to socialize, to get exercise and eat well, he said. Learning to navigate the city then, is important. Does the city make that easy? Will the personnel at the local community centre be understanding and patient?
The citys strategy to help those with dementia includes training all park board staff who work with seniors and frontline city staff about the disease, the symptoms of which include memory loss, disorientation, difficulty performing tasks and problems with language.
All 20 fire halls will be used as places where vulnerable people or those who identify a person in a crisis can go for safety, first aid or referrals. The city will also create a protocol between the Vancouver Police Department and city departments when vulnerable people go missing.
In addition, there are plans to host events for seniors at community centres and libraries in 2014, including talks on dementia and proclaiming January 2014 Alzheimer awareness month.
Mann congratulated council for the initiatives and used his time at the microphone to encourage the public to have patience when dealing or confronted with a senior, who may be confused because of dementia.
There is no stereotypical person with Alzheimers or other dementia, he said. From the exterior, we exhibit few, if any, symptoms and that is the challenge. And I know, sometimes, we are going to be the challenge to the people and the services of our city.
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