For 36 years the Times Colonist 10K run has attracted running, walking and community enthusiasts to take to the streets in celebration of connection while raising money for charity. This year, the Garth Homer Society (GHS) will be out in force; the embodiment of the run’s 2025 theme - ‘Where Everyone is Welcome’. The team, the Garth Homer Gazelles, is 16 participants strong and will be easy spot, wearing custom white and black trimmed pinnies featuring a hand-drawn gazelle logo created by one of the organization’s Art Works ( Artworks ) program artists. It’s the first time GHS has fielded a team of staff, families, and most importantly, clients who will be cheered on from a tent set up 30 yards from the starting line. Participation in this year’s event was an easy sell for 53-year-old Martin who will be assisted in his wheelchair during the 1.5 K run/walk by his caregiver and cheered on by his family. A resident of GHS’ Heron House ( Residential ), Martin is a community booster who participates in a number of James Bay and Victoria area events like the Pride parade and Canada Day festivities. A brain injury survivor from the age of 17 years old, Martin is blind and non-verbal but also very competitive says Heron House’s Manager of Residential Services, Selena Bewsky who has known Martin for three years. “When I told him it was going to be a race and asked who’s going be number one, he right away started hollering and sticking his finger up in the air like number one because Martin likes to win.” Receiving an official race number, t-shirt and noise makers sealed the deal for Martin who thrives in community. “Martin doesn’t like his disabilities to get in the way of him being able to be out", explains Bewsky. “He’s not one to sort of hunker in if you will.” Its why you’ll find him at the park, enjoying the grounds at the Legislature, taking in the sea air along Dallas Road or on his customized bike. It’s all about quality of life says Bewsky, “He goes out on the regular, he goes to music therapy on the regular, adaptive language classes on the regular and has taken a turn on stage as part of a theatre group.” Bewsky believes Martin’s enthusiasm stems from being an inherently social person and wanting to be included, adding because he was injured as a teenager, he might have memories of when he was of able body. While she’s careful about making assumptions about Martin she says his behaviours and means of communication through adaptive communication are telling, “He knows things that maybe others who were born with the developmental disability might not. He remembers having a girlfriend and driving a truck. I think that probably motivates his wanting to be involved because he remembers the time when he fully could, and perhaps still sees himself that way.” This year, Martin and the Garth Homer Gazelles are raising money for Help Fill a Dream ( Help Fill a Dream Foundation – Make the impossible possible ) and Threshold Housing Society ( Homepage - Threshold Housing ). Both organizations speak to GHS’ values and how Martin lives his life in creating, and being a part of, a world where everyone: has the right to participate fully in the community, deserves to feel valued for who they are, gets to make informed choices about what happens in their life, has the right to services tailored to their goals and has something to contribute to the community.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society of BC ( Alzheimer Society of British Columbi a ), it’s estimated there are 85,000people living with the disease in the province. For people with intellectual disabilities, the diagnosis often comes earlier in life than for the general population. And for those with Down Syndrome, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease , one of the most common forms of dementia, is about three to five times greater than in the general population. Caring for those with dementia is a large part of what staff at the Garth Homer Society’s Pathways program do each and everyday. “Dementia is unfortunately a big part of our program,” says certified dementia caregiver Roslyn Wagstaff. She recently completed three months of specialized training and is now sharing her learnings with fellow caregivers. “It’s a progressive brain disease and not something [our clients] can help or will get better,” explains Wagstaff. “For some people it will progress quickly; for others …more slowly.” Wagstaff has been with Pathways since 2011 and was attracted to the program by her love of working with the elderly. Designed for older age clients with higher communication, behavioural or complex needs, Pathways adopts a “go with the flow” approach to programming. On average, Wagstaff and her colleagues care for six to eight clients with dementia attending the program. “Every day is a new day,” she says. “Actually, every hour is a new hour – you have to be flexible.” One of the greatest takeaways from her training was delving into the seven As of dementia: Anosognosia (loss of insight), Amnesia (loss of memory), Aphasia (loss of language), Agnosia (loss of recognition), Apraxia (loss of purposeful movement), Altered Perception and Apathy. “Everyone’s journey with dementia is different,” adds Wagstaff, noting one of her clients has recently started “sundowning” which refers to a state of confusion that occurs in the late afternoon and lasts into the night. “She gets picked up at 1pm but continues coming in the morning as getting into the care to come to the centre means she’s not sitting at home.” “She still has friends here. The feelings are there, even if she doesn’t remember people’s names.” The goal of Pathways is keeping clients coming to the centre for as long as possible. Maintaining cognitive skills is key. For many, that means playing games or listening to music on an iPad. One Pathways participant copies numbers off the stock exchange onto paper which encourages the fine motor movements necessary to write. Other activities like Gameshow Tuesday are designed to reach down into memories that are still there for clients. Patience, kindness and a good sense of humour are all qualities Wagstaff say are needed in large doses, not only for a certified dementia caregiver like herself but for those who care for her clients when they’re away from Pathways. She also stresses self-care, perspective and gratitude as tools caregivers should use for themselves. For Wagstaff, that means taking her dog for a walk after work. It’s time to herself that’s precious as when away from Pathways. Wagstaff helps support her mother-in-law who has dementia. “I get through by remembering the person she used to be and being thankful for the time we have together.”