Marie Moliner is a full-time caregiver for Kevin Whitaker, her true love who has Parkinson’s disease and dementia. She participated in the making of Still Headroom: Parkinson’s and the Power of Care, a short documentary about her life with Kevin.  She is writing a book about her experience and volunteers as Assistant Editor for the Townships Sun.  Before she retired at 55 to look after Kevin, she was a lawyer and public servant who volunteered extensively.  

In this special edition of McGill Cares, we will present Still Headroom: Parkinson’s and the Power of Care and Ms. Moliner will speak about the importance of documenting the journey she is on with her husband.   

The McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has launched a special crowdfunding initiative in collaboration with Marie Moliner and Kevin Whitaker to raise funds towards the Dementia Education Program. We hope that you will consider making a gift to help us reach our goal of raising $50,000.  If you are interested in donating, please visit https://crowdfunding.mcgill.ca/ui/main/p/mariemolinerkevinwhitaker . 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.         

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Maria Natasha Rajah, PhD, is Full Professor and Vice-Dean, Academic Affairs at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Douglas Research Centre.  She conducts sex and gender research in the cognitive neuroscience of memory, aging and dementia prevention. She also studies how biological sex assigned at birth, gender, and social determinants of health affect brain health and memory over the adult lifespan. 

Prof. Rajah will talk about the differences between how men and women’s brains age, and the implications in terms of developing Alzheimer’s disease. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.         

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Louis Bherer, PhD, is Full Professor at the Department of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and the Director of the Centre ÉPIC at the Montreal Heart Institute, where he holds the Mirella and Lino Saputo Chair in Cardiovascular Health and Prevention of Cognitive Disorders. He is also a researcher at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. Prof. Bherer’s research examines how cognitive health can be improved and maintained as we age. In particular, he is looking at the impact of physical fitness on cognitive vitality in late adulthood. 

Prof. Bherer will talk about how maintaining an active lifestyle can help prevent and delay cognitive decline in normal aging and dementia.  

Original air date: May 31, 2023.

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.         

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, is a clinical neurologist specializing in the development of new tools for diagnosis and treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. He is the Academic Co-Lead for the Dementia Education Program and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. Dr. Gauthier was the Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging from 1986 to 1997. His accomplishments led to him being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014 and the National Order of Québec in 2017. 

Dr. Gauthier will provide an overview of the research into natural cognitive decline and how to maintain brain health as we age. 

This podcast is also available in French.

Original air date: May 17, 2023

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.         

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, est neurologue clinicien spécialisé dans le développement de nouveaux outils de diagnostic et de traitement pour les personnes souffrant de la maladie d’Alzheimer.  Il est coresponsable universitaire du Programme de formation sur la démence et professeur émérite au Département de neurologie et neurochirurgie et au Département de psychiatrie de l’Université McGill. Le Dr Gauthier a été directeur du Centre de recherche et d’études sur le vieillissement de l'Université McGill de 1986 à 1997.  Ses travaux lui ont valu d’être décoré de l’Ordre national du Canada en 2014 et de l’Ordre national du Québec en 2017. 

Le Dr Gauthier donnera un aperçu de la recherche sur le déclin cognitif naturel et sur la manière de garder le cerveau en santé en vieillissant. 

Cette webémission est aussi disponible en anglais. 

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence. 

McGill à vos côtés est une initiative du programme de formation sur la démence de McGill, qui est financé par des dons privés.  Pour contribuer ou pour en savoir plus sur notre programme, rendez-vous au www.mcgill.ca/demence. Cette page contient également un lien vers des ressources fiables spécifiques à la démence. 

Si vous souhaitez nous voir aborder des sujets et des questions spécifiques durant nos webémissions, écrivez-nous à [email protected]. 

Justin Sanders, MD, is the Kappy and Eric M. Flanders Chair of Palliative Care, Director of the Division of Palliative Care, and Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McGill University. Dr. Sanders' work focuses on the promotion of authentic healing relationships in serious illness through social-science informed and equity-focused communication and implementation research. 

Dr. Sanders will talk about authentic healing relationships and palliative care for people with advanced dementia. 

Original air date: May 3, 2023 

McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.         

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Christopher Labos, MD, MSc, is a cardiologist with a degree in epidemiology and an Associate at the McGill University Office for Science and Society. He is a freelance contributor for the Montreal Gazette and CJAD Radio, and has also appeared on CBC Radio and CBC Television. 

Dr. Labos will talk about the impact of alcohol on cognitive and cardiovascular health. 

Air date: April 19, 2023

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.       

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Guylaine  Ferland, Ph. D., est professeure de nutrition à l’Université de Montréal et scientifique au Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal. La Pre Ferland mène des recherches sur le rôle général de la nutrition dans la santé cognitive pendant le vieillissement. Elle est une experte du métabolisme de la vitamine K, et son équipe a grandement contribué à comprendre le rôle de ce nutriment dans la fonction cérébrale et la cognition.  

Elle parlera de la nutrition et de la démence, notamment de la façon de fournir une bonne alimentation aux personnes atteintes de démence, et de ce que nous savons des avantages de cette approche. 

La Pre Ferland présenté ce sujet en anglais le 14 décembre 2022, et nous l'offrons maintenant en français. 

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence. 

McGill à vos côtés est une initiative du programme de formation sur la démence de McGill, qui est financé par des dons privés.  Pour contribuer ou pour en savoir plus sur notre programme, rendez-vous au www.mcgill.ca/demence. Cette page contient également un lien vers des ressources fiables spécifiques à la démence.

Si vous souhaitez nous voir aborder des sujets et des questions spécifiques durant nos webémissions, écrivez-nous à [email protected].

Gustavo Duque, MD, PhD, is a geriatrician and a clinical and biomedical researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. He is the Director of the RIUSSS McGill Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health of Seniors at McGill University and the Dr. Joseph Kaufmann Chair in Geriatric Medicine.  Dr. Duque's primary research interests include elucidating the mechanisms and potential new treatments for age-related bone loss, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, osteosarcopenia, and frailty.  

Dr. Duque will speak about the risk of falls in seniors with dementia, and how best to prevent them.

Original air date: March 22, 2023. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.         

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected]. 

Wendy Weidner is Head of Research and Publications for Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI). She leads the development and growth of ADI’s global research portfolio in partnership with academic institutions and Alzheimer associations for many projects including diagnosis, dementia care pathways, interventions, clinical trials, epidemiology, and inclusion and diversity. Ms Weidner also leads ADI publications, including the World Alzheimer Report and From Plan to Impact – a yearly report that tracks the progress of the Global Action Plan on Dementia. She also coordinates and works alongside ADI’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel, a diverse group of dementia specialists who provide expert advice to ADI.

Ms Weidner will discuss how dementia is understood in different cultures around the world, and the implications that can have on diagnosis and treatment.

Air date: 8 March 2023

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations. To contribute or for more information about our program, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/dementia.  This page also contains a link to trusted resources specific to dementia.

If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to address during our weekly webcasts, please email us at [email protected].