TORONTO, December 13, 2016 – With all the shopping, meal planning and dinner planning, many families may feel excited about the holidays, but also overwhelmed. For individuals living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, visiting family can make this time challenging and bittersweet, and for their loved ones, the stress of caregiving responsibilities layered with holiday traditions can also take a toll.
Faculty of Health Professor Christine Jonas-Simpson in York University’s School of Nursing has done research on transforming and growing with loss, with different groups of people including with those families living with dementia. She is available for media interviews to discuss how families can prepare for the holidays and gatherings including:
- coping with loss during the holidays
- tips for managing holiday family gatherings with family members who may have dementia, Alzheimer's
- managing expectations
- factors to consider when planning activities during the holidays
York University is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. York U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.
Media Contact:
Anjum Nayyar, York University Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 44543/anayyar@yorku.ca
