How to improve dementia support in Canada in 2023

Background

In September 2022, the Alzheimer Society of Canada launched a major study that included a long list of ways to improve dementia risk reduction and dementia care nationwide.

Now, for the January 2023 edition of Dementia Talks! Canada, we'll chat with a variety of experts about ways they’d like to see dementia support improve over the next 12 months.

Join us on January 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Time for this latest edition of our monthly conversation series. Together, we'll talk about

• How established and emerging researchers see opportunities for positive change
• How brain health projects designed to reach Canadians who speak multiple languages are growing
• How to connect with the Alzheimer Society’s nationwide First Link program, which provides free, evidence-based dementia help to folks across the country
• What it's like to provide long-distance care, and how that can be better supported

More info

This event will take place in English. Live French interpretation will also be provided.

Dementia Talks! Canada is produced by Alzheimer Society of Canada in partnership with Brain Canada. To view past talks in this series, visit youtube.com/AlzheimerCanada or alzheimer.ca/Talks.

Our speakers

Dr. Lillian Hung

Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Clinician Scientist at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Founder of the Innovation in Dementia and Aging Lab (or IDEA Lab) at the University of British Columbia 

Dr. Lillian Hung is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing, and a Clinician Scientist at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. Dr. Hung is interested in patient-oriented research and the innovation of care for those living with dementia and their caregivers. She is a connector of people and a supporter of passionate new researchers.

Through the creation of the IDEA Lab, Dr. Hung has brought together a team of enthusiastic academics and 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.

 

Adebusola (Busola) Adekoya

Registered Nurse and a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo 

Adebusola (Busola) Adekoya is a Registered Nurse and a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. Busola is passionate about the rights of persons living with dementia to receive quality care and maintain optimal quality of life. Her research focuses on persons living with dementia at risk of going missing and the use of innovative strategies to promote safe walking. 

 

Sybil Braganza

Co-ordinator of the Ethno-cultural Seniors Project at the Social Planning Council of Ottawa

Sybil Braganza is Coordinator of the Ethno-Cultural Seniors Project at the Social Planning Council of Ottawa. In her work, Sybil collaborates with several community groups to create, distribute and assess new multilingual and culturally appropriate brain-health resources and programs. This includes work with and for Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Haitian and Ethiopian seniors and their families — and beyond.

Previously, Sybil was Community Planner and Community Social Worker with the City of Calgary, as well as Coordinator of Interpretation and Translation Services with Alberta Health Services. Sybil has a Master of Social Work from the University of Calgary.   

 

Catherine Macpherson

Caregiver in Montreal and Halifax

Catherine Macpherson is a “sandwich generation” caregiver, looking after her own three children while attempting to care for her aging parents from a distance. Her father is primary caregiver to her mother, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Catherine is learning the ropes – while minding the gaps – of varying provincial home care, health care, and long-term care systems, both public and private. She participates in virtual caregiver support groups through the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia, where her parents live. They are all on this journey together.

Cat grew up in Nova Scotia, did post-secondary studies in Montreal and Boston, and holds a Master of Arts in Gastronomy. She has worked in the food industry, in journalism, communications, public relations, and currently freelances as a project editor in the educational publishing industry.  She lives in Montreal. Her favourite job is still cheese mongering.  

 

Melody Neufeld

Client Services Team Manager for Central and Northern Saskatchewan at the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan

Melody Neufeld is the Client Services Team Manager for Central and Northern Saskatchewan at the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan. Melody holds a Bachelor of Social Work and is registered with the Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers. She also has a Graduate Certificate in Theology.  Melody has spent most of her working career within the Sask Health Authority. She joined the Alzheimer Society in March 2020 and is excited to work with persons with dementia and their families as their dementia journey unfolds. 

 

Moderator: Sabina Antonescu

Senior Program Manager at Brain Canada