On Dementia Care in Toronto

Dementia Care at Sagecare

Every individual deserves to be treated with the highest level of support and compassion. Sagecare welcomes every resident with open arms and provides a high level of care for people with dementia in an environment that feels like home.

Our home provides a high level of specialized dementia care in Toronto, North York, Mississauga, Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, Brampton, and Markham.

Experience elevated care in all parts of life.

Cognitive abilities are changing

There’s an incredible range of experiences associated with dementia. Some people have difficulties filtering out distractions, arranging plans, or following complex instructions. They may start a story but lose the thread halfway through or set out on a journey and have to stop frequently to reorient themselves. 

Others experience mood swings and find it difficult to gauge the emotions of those around them. Sensory perception can also change: it’s not uncommon for the taste and smell of food to evolve, or for it to become more difficult to judge the relative distances of objects. 

Truly enlightened dementia care in Toronto touches much more than memory and goes well beyond traditional, deficits-based approaches. It recognizes the many strengths and abilities that endure and engages individuals in the context of their larger life stories.

Over twenty years in practice, we have come to refer to our elders as “experiencing dementia” or having “changing cognitive abilities” and to this as simply a community of people living with cognitive supports. Our dementia care services are provided in a safe and welcoming environment.

We are careful with our words because we know how easily language can bias perception. This can be especially harmful when a person’s inner world is shifting. It can also influence how the rest of the world views and treats those whose experiences we cannot fully share.  

The world is still catching up

A small child does not process the world as we do. Before they are verbal, we adapt to children’s cognitive reality by gesturing, pointing, and even signing. We help them make associations by naming everything in their environment. We bind memories through rhyme and song. And we give them time and space to puzzle through everyday tasks that would take us no time at all to do for them—unless we’re late for work, of course.

We observe our children closely because we know that what they were capable of yesterday may not be the same as what they are capable of today. We are generous with our time and patience because we know that they are changing. We take every opportunity show our children that they are safe and loved. No one questions the hugs and kisses we bestow upon our little ones.

It is hard to recognize when an adult is not processing the world in the average or expected way. And harder yet to hold back when we discern changes in abilities. The popular view of dementia is of a strictly downward trajectory; the world expects elders to be capable of less tomorrow than they are today, so it does not afford them the same time or patience that would be given to someone who is “becoming.” 

It would be inappropriate to compare the capabilities of children with elders experiencing dementia. Infantilizing our elders is all too common—but nothing, no change in cognitive ability, could ever erase the wisdom and substantiality that come with a lifetime of experience. The contrast we are drawing here, rather, is in our society’s treatment of these individuals. 

When it comes to children, we take for granted that abilities differ and that we are engaged in the important work of person-building. But it is no different with elders experiencing dementia. Except that the elder must build and rebuild themself continuously, moment-to-moment. A person with changing cognitive abilities is always becoming. If we can recognize this as one of many possible life trajectories and act without expectation or judgment, we can begin to transform how the world sees and treats these elders through our compassionate and private care process.

Dr. Richard Taylor was a psychologist who documented his own experience with dementia, authoring numerous books and travelling the world to help raise awareness and challenge stigma. Of all the many things he wrote, perhaps his greatest gift to us came in six simple words: 

“Please understand me. I’m still here.”

You are not alone

The needs of elders with dementia are best met when their personalities and histories are well-known, they have the right supports—physical, psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual—and they are in compassionate company.

We recognize that it is very challenging for a partner or family to be and do all of this. The sheer intensity and complexity of the experience can be overwhelming. Whether it is here or somewhere else, we encourage you to get support. It is never too early. There is a richness that exists beyond words, logic, or reason and it is still possible to find happiness, purpose, and laughter in life’s last chapters. Not despite this experience, but through this experience. 

This experience matters.

High level of training

At Sagecare, we work closely with highly skilled nurses and industry professionals to revolutionize traditional dementia care services in Toronto and throughout the GTA.

Our registered nurses are well-versed in quality senior care. They provide a fresh approach to cognitive care through trusted medicinal and therapeutic services.

To create a comfortable, home-like environment, our team includes passionate professionals, including culinary artists, recreational therapists, dentists, chiropodists, and more.

Staffing to resident ratio

We’re committed to providing personalized private dementia care to our residents. Our leading staff-to-resident ratio ensures that your family members receive the support they need when they need it.

Activities benefitting memory care

We tailor our activities and programs to reflect each resident’s cognitive abilities. From art therapy to recreational therapy, each of our activities is designed to engage the mind and body in a compassionate and judgment-free environment.

24/7 Support

At our Sagecare, we provide around-the-clock residential care for seniors with dementia. Our trained staff are always available to assist our residents with their medicinal needs and provide comfort and support no matter the time of day.