Eric Li and his mother May Tsoi

 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's

For Eric Li, a life-changing accident opened an unexpected window into the world of living with dementia.

In 2016, Eric was involved in a car crash that left him with serious injuries, including hemorrhaging in his left frontal lobe and a multi-level spinal injury – as well as new insight into the challenges his mother faces living with frontotemporal dementia.

Having difficulty processing information and experiencing feelings of loneliness were among the parallels Eric drew between the challenges of his injuries and his mother’s experience of a diagnosis of dementia. Few people understood what they were going through.

“The brain injury has allowed me to get a glimpse into my mom’s world, and that allowed me to connect with her and learn about myself,” Eric says. “Through her needs, I learned about my own needs.”

Taking care of his mother, May Tsoi, while recovering from a brain injury was extremely challenging. At one point, May poured hot water on snow-covered stairs — because she thought the snow was dirt — creating a slipping hazard. When Eric tried to explain the dangers to her, she was not able to understand the safety risks.

“Keeping her safe was one of the biggest challenges, and I’ve persisted as much as I could, for as long as I could,” Eric says.

Connecting to the Alzheimer Society of B.C. helped Eric understand dementia and develop the skillset to care for May and himself.

“That first call with the Alzheimer Society was the first step in bringing light into the darkness,” he says.

With education and support from the Society, Eric is now equipped with the tools and skills to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the dementia journey. The knowledge and support he’s received has given him the strength to try again, as well as the permission to take a break and rest.

“Through trial and error with my mom, I find success every day as long as I don’t give up,” Eric says. “Without the Alzheimer Society of B.C., I wouldn’t be in the position to have the courage to hold my mother’s hand in her journey, like how the Alzheimer Society is holding my hand through my caregiving journey.”

Eric has established a scholarship in his mother’s name, The Li Family: May Mei-Chu Tsoi Resilience Award. He hopes the students receiving the award will be touched by his mother’s story and his own experience caring for her.