Alzheimer Society Manitoba is working with Telehealth to bring information to 40 communities, for families living with dementia and other progressive diseases.

Over the winter there will be three sessions broadcasted at Boundary Trails Health Centre, with the first held on Tuesday discussing de-stressing over bathing, dressing and personal hygiene presented by Charlene Barkman, Staff Development Coordinator of Long-term Care with Southern Health-Sante Sud.

Kathy Fehr is the South Central Regional Coordinator Alzheimer Society Manitoba; she says those with progressive diseases may not realize hygiene is something that needs to be addressed.

"Depending on where they are in their disease, hygiene can sometimes be an issue; when I say an issue, it's not that they don't want to keep up with personal hygiene, but often they are not aware."

Fehr says Barkman's presentation offered tips on helping those with dementia keep up with daily hygiene care. These tips are meant for care workers, or family members to help out and learn what language they should use.

Fehr notes it can often be difficult when a family member has dementia, which is why conversations living with the disease can't be understated.

"When someone in your family gets diagnosed, a loved one, the disease doesn't only affect the person, it's kind of like a family disease, which is the same for all diseases that are progressive. It helps to have that awareness that there are others out there dealing with the same things."

Fehr says these education sessions open up the dialogue on dementia, and give people the tools to show support when they might not have known how to before.