Dementia Dialogue

This episode is a continuation of the Intergenerational Engagement series of Dementia Dialogue hosted by Lisa Loiselle. Guests include Albin Soni, a student at University of British Columbia (UBC), Mario Gregorio, a passionate advocate living with dementia, and Lillian Hung, an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at UBC. 

In 2020, Dr. Hung received funding to create the Innovation in Dementia and Aging (IDEA) Lab at UBC. The purpose of the IDEA Lab is to bring together patients, family partners, researchers, health system planners, and students (as co-researchers) to create technology that will assist in the care of people with dementia and older adults, teach new skills, and prepare students for professional advancement.  

During this episode, Lisa and her guests speak about the inspiration for IDEA Lab, its goals and how Mario and Albin are involved as mentor (Patient engagement partner) and mentee, respectively.  They discuss the process of ideation to creation of their technology projects through patient-oriented research, that also has the added benefit of intergenerational engagement. They also speak about their motivation to get involved in IDEA Lab. Dr. Hung also speaks about the importance of inclusion in their research and making the work important for everyone, leaving no one behind.  

Beyond the research, the IDEA Lab team has built an incredible bond with each other and through their engagement, they are learning from each other, reducing stigma, and removing barriers. 

Biographies: 

Albin Soni (Research Assistant | UBC IDEA Lab). is currently a fourth year Biomedical Engineering student at UBC, with a focus in cellular engineering and medical devices. He is also a research assistant with the UBC Innovation in Dementia and Aging (IDEA) Lab. At IDEA Lab he pursues his interests in healthcare accessibility and innovation, while at the same time helping those with dementia and related conditions. As a long-term care home volunteer, he has become familiar with some of the hardships experienced by these individuals. The work at IDEA lab is so important to address these hardships. Outside of IDEA Lab, Albin can be found listening to music, hanging out with friends, and finding new foods to eat.  

Mario Gregorio is a passionate advocate to create awareness, reduce stigma and educate the public about neurocognitive disorder or dementia. He is a member of several committees that encourage inclusiveness and accessibility for people with hidden disabilities and a recognized public speaker in universities across Canada and in the United States. He is a coauthor of several research papers about digital technology and robotics and a mentor for the University of British Columbia IDEA Lab and Simon Fraser University School of Gerontology. And is actively involved with community projects to help alleviate loneliness and foster social connections. He enjoys taking pictures during his morning walks and loves gardening. 

Lillian Hung is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) School of Nursing; she holds a Canada Research Chair in Senior Care. She is interested in patient-oriented research and the innovation of care for those living with dementia and their caregivers. Through the creation of the IDEA Lab, she has brought together a team of enthusiastic young students, along with patient and family partners who are pursuing innovation in dementia and aging research through co-designing of projects and sharing in the benefits of collaborative research. 

Resources for website: 

https://idea.nursing.ubc.ca/ 

Notre série de balados qui s’adresse spécifiquement aux francophones du Canada, vise à inspirer, informer et aider à réduire la stigmatisation entourant les troubles neurocognitifs majeurs. 

Dans ce balado, nous apprenons comment nos pensées influencent notre bien-être et comment briser le cycle de pensées négatives qui nous empêchent de vivre notre vie pleinement. 

Notre invitée est Mireille Huneault, responsable des services en français pour l’Association canadienne pour la santé mentale pour la région de Durham en Ontario. Mireille est également instructrice certifiée en premiers soins en santé mentale et enseigne une série d’ateliers qui s’intitule « Vivre sa vie pleinement ».  

In this continuation of the Intergenerational Engagement series, host Lisa Loiselle speaks with Dana Zummach and Kate Dupuis. 

Kate Dupuis is the Schlegel Innovation Leader in Arts and Aging at Sheridan College and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging. She is based at the Sheridan Centre for Elder Research in Oakville, Ontario and is a Professor in Sheridan’s Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies. After receiving her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, Kate completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Neuropsychology and Cognitive Health and Hearing Services programs at Baycrest and became registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario as a clinical neuropsychologist.  

Kate is a clinician-scientist whose work lies at the intersection of arts, health, and aging. In her research, Kate seeks to understand how arts participation can benefit all domains of health and well-being for older adults and those who care for them, and she explores how to encourage and support creativity and self-expression across the lifespan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate’s work expanded to explore the experiences of moral distress and moral injury in staff working in retirement and long-term care homes. She uses arts and creativity techniques to address the health and well-being of staff, with an aim towards enhanced resilience and recovery.  

Dana Zummach is the manager of Dementia Programs at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging and has been involved with the Supporting Inclusion through Intergenerational Partnerships (SIIP) project since 2019. The SIIP project reduces social isolation, and builds meaningful relationships that span across generations. SIIP works with organizations across Waterloo Region to provide opportunities for older adults living with dementia, their care partners, and youth to connect and interact in purposeful ways. Dana has over 15 years of experience in public health research, program evaluation, and project management and holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and Gerontology and Master of Science in Public Health and Health Systems both from the University of Waterloo. 

In this episode, Lisa, Dana and Kate discuss several Intergenerational programs that have been supported by SIIP funding through the RIA and programs that Kate has been involved in creating and supporting through her research. They also explore why these interactions are so important and meaningful to both the young and their “grand-friends.” Many lessons were learned from the programs being supported by SIIP funding and as a result, Dana shares some best practices and how to access key resources for training purposes and also program development and/or management. Finally, some words of advice are shared about program sustainability.  

Balado sur Les Cafés Mémoire de la Nouvelle-Écosse

Dans ce balado, nous allons en apprendre un peu plus sur les Cafés Mémoire. Les Cafés Mémoire ont été créés dans les années 1990, par un psychologue néerlandais, dans le but de briser l’isolation et la stigmatisation des personnes vivant avec des troubles neurocognitifs majeurs en créant des occasions de rencontre et d’échange pour les personnes âgées et leurs proches aidants. 

Notre invitée, l’artiste néo-écossaise Élizabeth Sircom, est la Conseillère artistique provinciale des Cafés Mémoire de la Nouvelle-Écosse.  

Élizabeth est une artiste multidisciplinaire, elle fait de la peinture, du dessin et de la sculpture en terre cuite avec un intérêt particulier pour le portrait. Elle est également musicienne et enseigne le violoncelle. 

Nous vous invitons à découvrir les œuvres d’Élizabeth en visitant son site web au : https://www.elizabethsircom.com/.  

Pour plus d’informations sur les Cafés Mémoire de la Nouvelle-Écosse, veuillez consulter leur site web au : https://memorycafens.ca/fr/.  

Pour trouver un Café Mémoire près de chez vous, contactez la Société Alzheimer de votre région. Vous pouvez également consulter ce répertoire en ligne au : https://www.memorycafedirectory.com/ et cliquer l’onglet « Find a Memory Cafe ». 

In this episode of Dementia Dialogue titled, ‘It Started with Oma,’ the second in a series of conversations about Intergenerational Engagement, host, Lisa Loiselle speaks with Matthew Vorstermans and Ann-Marie Kungl.

Matthew lives in Creemore, Ontario, and spends his time volunteering. For many years he has supported residents at a local nursing home, reading to children at the public library and most passionately, volunteering to support those living with dementia.

Matthew got involved in intergenerational activities as a young grandson whose Oma was living with dementia in another country. Since then he has been a passionate volunteer for the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County. This May he will be volunteering for the 18th straight year as a participant in the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s.

Ann-Marie Kungl has witnessed Matthew’s passion and commitment to supporting those living with dementia since she became the CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society of Simcoe County. Ann-Marie speaks about the importance of intergenerational connection, programs being offered by Simcoe County and of course the upcoming Walk.

Originaire de la péninsule Acadienne, Marie-Paule B.-Leblanc habite aujourd’hui à Moncton où elle occupe le poste de Coordonnatrice des événements et philanthropie pour la Société Alzheimer du Nouveau-Brunswick.  

C’est une cause qui lui tient à cœur puisqu’elle est proche aidante pour son père qui vit avec la maladie d’Alzheimer. 

Ensemble nous avons parlé de son rôle de proche aidante, de l’importance d’accéder aux ressources disponibles, et de la marche annuelle pour l’Alzheimer IG Gestion de Patrimoine. 

Link : Lien pour s’inscrire à La marche pour l’Alzheimer IG Gestion de patrimoine 

Nos invitées pour ce balado sont Josée Desrochers-Leduc et Gisèle Charbonneau. Josée est Coordonnatrice en éducation à la Société Alzheimer de Cornwall et région; Gisèle, pour sa part, est proche aidante pour sa sœur aînée atteinte de troubles de mémoire et d’anxiété. 

Ensemble nous avons parlé du programme Esprit en actionMD - connu en anglais sous le nom Minds in Motion©. Grâce à ce programme, la personne atteinte de troubles neurocognitifs et son proche aidant peuvent participer à des activités physiques et sociales centrées sur le développement des compétences personnelles. 

Pour plus de renseignements sur ce programme, nous vous invitons à communiquer avec la Société Alzheimer de votre région. 

On this episode of Dementia Dialogue, "Mind over Matter: Game Changer" we speak with Caroline Cameron, host of Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey on Sportsnet. Caroline shares her experience and connection to her grandmother, who lived with dementia, why she feels it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and why it is never too early to start caring, as well as some insight to what routines she does to reduce her risk of developing the disease.  

Biography for Caroline Cameron: 

Caroline Cameron is a Canadian television sportscaster known for her role as host of Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey on Sportsnet. Caroline also hosts the pre-game program Hockey Central and is a rink-side reporter for Hockey Night in Canada. 

Inspired by her late Grandma Shirley who lived with vascular dementia, Caroline has been involved in dementia advocacy work for many years, volunteering in seniors’ homes and participating in education and awareness campaigns. 

In 2015, she supported the Alzheimer Society of Canada’s Dementia Friends Canada initiative, and in January 2024, she was an ambassador for the Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s January Awareness Campaign. 

Read Caroline’s full story here. https://alzheimer.ca/on/en/whats-happening/news/carolines-story 

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In this episode, Lisa Loiselle speaks to a group of people involved in the Circle of Music, an intergenerational choir for people living with dementia, their care partner, and local high school students in Kitchener-Waterloo in Southwestern Ontario. 

On parle souvent de l’importance du soutien de la communauté pour mieux vivre avec un trouble neurocognitif. C’est ce dont nous parle Maria Lepage une franco-saskatchewanaise bien impliquée dans sa communauté qui veille sur son mari, Henri, atteint de la maladie d’Alzheimer.