Mayor Rob Adams is supporting the Alzheimers bid to break a world record on Sep 20, when it hosts the worlds largest coffee break on Broadway. Dufferin County Alzheimer Society Executive Director Laurie Turza and Jacquiline Bayley Executive Director at Orangeville's BIA share a cup of coffee with the Mayor recently, in preparation for the event. Contributed Photo If you ever wanted to be included in the Guinness World Record Book, the Dufferin County Alzheimer Society is offering you the opportunity.

For the first time, the world's largest coffee break record will be set, hosted by the Alzheimer Society of Dufferin County, on Broadway in Orangeville on Thursday, September 20.

"It's a new category for the record book and we will be the first one to hold the coffee break record," said Ann Bogue, spokesperson for Dufferin's Alzheimer Society. "We need as many people as possible to show up."

Event co-ordinators want participants to arrive downtown before 10 a.m., to register and grab a coffee from one of the many participating stores and vendors.

To ensure the record is accurately counted, everyone must register and volunteers will be on hand to take registrations.

The world record will officially be recorded at 10 a.m., so all registrations need to be complete before then.

Members of the Alzheimer Society have routinely used the coffee break to promote fundraising and exchange information among friends and coworkers.

The Alzheimer Society of Canada, founded 29 years ago, is dedicated to helping people affected by Alzheimer's and other related diseases.

According to its website, one in 13 Canadians over the age of 65 is affected by Alzheimer or related dementia disorders. An estimated 800 families in Dufferin County are dealing with the disease.

It's not a normal part of aging. Symptoms include having difficulty remembering things, making decisions and performing tasks. Currently there is no way to arrest the progressive disease that destroys vital brain cells.

There is no known cause but Alzheimer's normally affects people over the age of 65. Other risk factors include genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors.

The progression of the disease is different for each person but there is normally a gradual onset and continuing decline of memory, change in judgement or reasoning and an inability to perform familiar tasks.

Alzheimer's is considered the most common form of dementia. In Canada, about 64 per cent of persons' with dementia have the disease.

An estimated 97,000 Canadians will develop the disease in 2007 and one in three Canadians over the age of 85 has Alzheimer's or a related dementia.

As the population ages the number of people with the disease will also increase and it's expected over the next 25 years it will have an effect on society and health care costs.

In Dufferin, support groups are beginning to reconnect after the summer break.

Ms. Bogue said support groups are an important aspect for families who are living with someone with Alzheimer's.

"Support groups help everyone know they are not alone. There are others out there who are dealing with the same issues," she said. "It's a way to recharge and to share information."

Support groups in Orangeville meet at the Lord Dufferin Centre at 10 a.m., every third Wednesday of the month to discuss the early stages of Alzheimer and it's the spousal coffee hour on the first Friday at 10 a.m. Another caregiver coffee hour is held the fourth Tuesday each month at 7 p.m. at Hospice Dufferin.

In Shelburne the coffee hour is held every second Monday at 10 a.m., call the Society's office for a location.

Another way the local organization is supporting caregivers is by offer information series.

Locally three sessions titled caring with confidence is being offered at the public libraries in September and October.

Ms. Bogue says the information session is geared to the caregivers and each session will cover strategies and activities caregivers can use when dealing with Alzheimer patients. Some of the items discussed will include coping with changes, guidelines for communicating and community resources available.

The first session is scheduled for Grand Valley this Friday, Sept. 14. Sessions will follow in Orangeville Tuesday, Sept. 25 and Shelburne Tuesday, October 2.

Aspecial coffee break, October 13 is planned with Creative Memories, a company that makes unique books using your photographs.

On October 27, the Society is planning a caregivers training workshop that will run from 10 a.m until 3:30 p.m.

In November, the organization is planning a six week memory care program with Doctor Geoff Daniel, that will deal with the early stages of the disease.

For more information about Alzheimer's and the programs and meetings being offered or to register for the world-record coffee break on September 20, call 519-941-1221.