Sparrow Neuropsychology · Vancouver

Dementia Resources

Organisations, information, and support for people living with dementia in BC

This page brings together high-quality resources for people living with dementia, and their families and carers. It is intended as a starting point — not a substitute for advice from your own medical team.

If you are wondering whether a neuropsychological assessment might be right for you or a family member, Dr. Benjamin offers a free 15-minute introductory consultation.

What a neuropsychological assessment can offer

The diagnosis of dementia is typically made by a neurologist or geriatrician. A neuropsychological assessment does not replace that process — but it contributes something that clinical interview alone cannot: objective, standardised measurement of how a person’s brain is actually performing, compared to thousands of people of the same age and background.

This matters in several ways.

Detecting early decline. Subtle changes in memory, language, or executive function are often apparent in formal cognitive testing well before they are clearly evident in day-to-day life or in a clinical interview. A neuropsychological assessment can identify early cognitive impairment and provide a documented baseline — important both for monitoring change over time and for accessing timely support.

Distinguishing normal ageing from cognitive impairment. Memory complaints are extremely common in older adults, but formal testing can show whether those difficulties fall within the range expected for someone of a given age, or whether they represent genuine impairment. This distinction is not always straightforward from clinical impression alone.

Identifying treatable causes. Depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, medication effects, thyroid problems, and vitamin deficiencies can all produce cognitive symptoms that resemble dementia. A neuropsychological assessment contributes to ruling out these reversible causes — which is clinically important, because the right treatment may restore cognitive function.

Differentiating types of dementia. Different conditions — Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia — affect cognition in characteristically different patterns. Neuropsychological testing can help clarify which pattern best fits a person’s profile, which has implications for treatment, prognosis, and planning.

Capacity assessments. A neuropsychologist can assess whether a person retains the cognitive capacity to make specific decisions — medical, financial, or legal — at a particular point in time. This is often relevant when families, lawyers, or healthcare providers need objective information about decision-making ability.

Serial monitoring. Repeated assessments over time provide an objective record of whether cognition is stable, worsening, or — in some cases — responding to treatment. This is more reliable than clinical impression for tracking subtle change.

It is important not to overstate what neuropsychology can offer. A neuropsychological report is one piece of a broader assessment, and many questions about dementia require input from multiple specialists. What neuropsychology uniquely provides is precise, norm-referenced cognitive data — something no other type of evaluation can produce in the same way.

Understanding dementia — the biology

Dementia is not a single disease. It is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that cause progressive decline in memory, thinking, language, and the ability to carry out everyday tasks. What these conditions share is that they all involve damage to brain cells — neurons — and the connections between them.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, accounting for 60–80% of cases. It is caused by the accumulation of two abnormal proteins in the brain: amyloid plaques, which form between neurons, and tau tangles, which form inside them. These disrupt and eventually kill neurons, beginning typically in the hippocampus — the brain’s key memory structure — and spreading progressively to other regions. This is why memory loss is usually the earliest and most prominent symptom.

Vascular dementia occurs when the brain’s blood supply is damaged or disrupted — through stroke, small vessel disease, or other blood vessel problems — depriving neurons of the oxygen and nutrients they need. Unlike Alzheimer’s, which tends to progress gradually, vascular dementia may develop more suddenly or in steps following cardiovascular events.

Lewy body dementia involves the buildup of alpha-synuclein proteins (called Lewy bodies) in the brain. It shares features with both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and is associated with fluctuating cognition, visual hallucinations, and movement difficulties. Frontotemporal dementia involves degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes — regions responsible for personality, behaviour, and language — often producing changes in behaviour and judgment before memory difficulties become prominent.

Understanding the biology of dementia helps make sense of why different people experience it differently, and why there is no single trajectory. It also underscores that dementia reflects a disease process — not a failure of character or a normal part of ageing.

Cognitive problems in dementia

The cognitive changes in dementia depend on which brain regions are most affected — and this varies by dementia type. Understanding this can help people and their families make sense of what is changing, and why.

In Alzheimer’s disease, memory — particularly the ability to form new memories and recall recent events — is usually the earliest and most prominent difficulty. In frontotemporal dementia, changes in personality, judgment, and behaviour often appear before memory problems. In vascular dementia, executive function (planning, organising, initiating tasks) may be especially affected. Across all types, multiple cognitive abilities are ultimately involved as the condition progresses.

Psychological adjustment to a diagnosis

Receiving a dementia diagnosis is one of the most significant events a person can face. The emotional response is rarely simple — it often involves grief, fear, relief (for those who have been aware something was wrong), anger, and uncertainty, sometimes all at once.

Depression and anxiety are significantly more common in people with dementia than in the general population — not only as a reaction to diagnosis, but as a neurological consequence of the disease process itself. Depression in dementia is often undertreated, partly because its symptoms can be mistaken for the dementia itself. This matters, because depression is treatable, and treating it can meaningfully improve quality of life and daily function.

Many people live with early dementia for years, and a great deal remains possible. Maintaining social connection, physical activity, meaningful activities, and a sense of purpose continues to matter — and support is available to help with all of these. A diagnosis is a reason to plan ahead and to seek support, not a reason to withdraw from life.

Planning while capacity remains is important. Decisions about medical care, finances, and legal arrangements are much more straightforward when made proactively, and doing so gives people with dementia control over their future care.

Impact on partners and families

Dementia does not only affect the person who has it. Partners, adult children, and other close family members are profoundly affected — often carrying the role of carer for months or years, sometimes without adequate support.

Carers of people with dementia experience some of the highest rates of stress, depression, and burnout of any carer group. The challenges are not only practical — managing daily care, medications, and safety — but emotional. Watching someone you love change in fundamental ways, sometimes losing the person you knew long before they die, is a particular form of grief that can be difficult to describe to those who have not experienced it.

This grief — sometimes called ambiguous loss — arises because the person is still present but the relationship has changed, and the losses accumulate over time rather than arriving all at once. It is not always recognised as grief, even by carers themselves. Understanding it for what it is can make it easier to seek support.

Carers’ own mental health is not secondary — it matters in its own right, and it also directly affects the quality of care they are able to provide. Seeking support is not a sign of failure; it is a necessary part of sustaining a caring role over the long term.

Mental health support in BC

People with dementia and their carers both have significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety. Support is available — and for both groups, seeking it is a sign of self-awareness, not weakness.

Counsellors and psychologists

A psychologist has completed a doctorate in psychology (PhD or PsyD) and is registered with the College of Psychologists of BC. Psychologists provide therapy, can diagnose mental health conditions, and are also qualified to conduct formal psychological assessments. They may be particularly useful when there are questions about cognition or capacity alongside emotional wellbeing.

A Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) typically holds a master’s degree in counselling and is registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). Both psychologists and RCCs provide therapy, and both are well-suited for working through grief, anxiety, depression, and the emotional demands of living with dementia or caring for someone who has it.

A psychologist may be the better fit if you also need a formal assessment alongside therapy.

To find a psychologist or counsellor in BC:

Most extended health benefit plans cover a number of counselling or psychology sessions up to a set dollar amount per year. Check with your benefits provider or HR advisor before your first appointment.

Psychiatrists

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD) who has completed specialist training in mental health. Like psychologists, psychiatrists can diagnose mental health conditions — and unlike psychologists and counsellors, they can also prescribe medication.

Depression and anxiety are common in dementia and in its carers — and for both groups, antidepressant or antianxiety medication can be genuinely helpful when the situation warrants it. Just as medication is a reasonable and evidence-based response to blood pressure that has gone out of range, it is a reasonable response to a mood system that has been overwhelmed by circumstances that would challenge anyone. The decision to try medication is personal and deserves to be made with proper advice — but it is always worth at least having the conversation, particularly if depression or anxiety has been present for some time.

To access a psychiatrist in BC, ask your family doctor or neurologist for a referral. You can also call HealthLink BC (8-1-1) for guidance on mental health services in your region.

Other BC mental health resources

After a diagnosis — what to do

A dementia diagnosis can feel overwhelming. These resources are designed specifically for people who have just received one.

Living with dementia

Support groups in BC

Connecting with others who understand what you are going through — whether you are living with dementia or caring for someone who is — can make a significant difference. The Alzheimer Society of BC runs a range of support groups for different situations.

Podcasts

  • Dementia Matters — Produced by the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, this podcast features leading dementia scientists and caregiving experts on Alzheimer’s research, treatment, and care — one of the most research-grounded dementia podcasts available.
  • All in the Mind — BBC Radio 4 — Award-winning BBC Radio 4 podcast hosted by psychologist Claudia Hammond, exploring mental health, neuroscience, and brain conditions, with regular episodes on dementia, memory, and cognitive ageing.
  • All In The Mind — ABC Radio National — ABC Australia’s weekly podcast on the mind, brain, and behaviour, including episodes on dementia, memory, and the neuroscience of ageing.

Dementia organisations in BC and Canada

In British Columbia

  • Who supports people with dementia in BC? — The Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon is the primary provincial dementia organisation, offering First Link® care navigation, support groups, educational programs, and culturally specific resources in Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu. Their office is in Vancouver (828 W. 8th Avenue, Suite 300).

Across Canada

Brain health

Research suggests that certain lifestyle factors can support brain health and may reduce the risk of cognitive decline. These resources summarise the evidence.

If you are interested in a neuropsychological assessment to evaluate memory or other cognitive concerns, please contact us or submit a referral.