The Canadian Centre for Elder Law (CCEL), a division of the BC Law Institute, launched the Dementia + Decision-Making Project at the end of January to commemorate Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. We want to keep the conversation going and share with you these resources to empower people living with dementia to participate in decision-making about their care. This suite of resources that includes videos, brochures, guides and decision-pathways is accessible at the CCEL Dementia + Decision-Making Project website. 

The project was the culmination of three years of research and extensive consultations with people living with dementia, family or friend caregivers and care partners, and health care professionals. It examines the law that governs health and personal care decision-making, how capacity and consent are understood, barriers to engaging in decision-making, and strategies to overcome these barriers. With lack of time being a common barrier, we developed the resources to offer both detailed information and quick reference points. This allows readers to engage in specific topics as needed, learn about the law of consent in the health care setting and navigate the law that fosters the independence of people living with dementia.

This project was made possible with financial support of the Vancouver Foundation.