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Archived Recordings

Topic: Understanding Health Care Trajectories of People Living with Dementia

Recorded on November 26, 2024

Presenter: Raquel Souza Dias Betini, PhD, and Liudmila Husak, MPH.

Presenter: Raquel Betini has a PhD in Public Health from University of Waterloo and is a Project Lead at the Canadian Institute for Health Information. During the last 7 years she has worked on several projects such as the ‘Impact of COVID-19 in long-term care' and ‘Trajectories of people living with dementia in the health care system'. Liudmila Husak is a Manager of Health Systems Analytics at the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Liudmila joined CIHI in 2006 and is responsible for the development and release of a variety of analytical products. She holds a master of public health in Epidemiology from Emory University in the USA.

Topic: Promoting Living Well with Dementia Through Participatory Research

Recorded on October 31, 2024

Presenter: Laura Middleton, PhD.

Objectives:

  1. Understand how a human rights approach informs the need to develop supports for health, function, and inclusion of people living with dementia through research and practice
  2. Reflect on how physical activity and healthy eating programs and services support living well with dementia
  3. Describe how dementia-specific and dementia-inclusive wellness programs and services can support the health, well-being, and inclusion of people living with dementia and their families

Presenter: Laura Middleton is an Associate Professor and the Schlegel Research Chair in Dementia and Active Living in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. Her research aims to identify strategies to promote the health, well-being, and function of those living with, or at risk for, dementia. She focuses on the role of physical activity alone and in combination with healthy eating and social engagement. She takes a participatory approach by collaborating closely with people living with dementia, care partners, health care professionals, and community service providers to create accessible and effective programs and supports.


Topic:The Impact of Physical Activity Pre-Stroke and the Insights from Machine Learning on Functional Dependence

Recorded on September 24, 2024

Presenter: Zack Van Allen, PhD, MBA.

Presenter: Zack van Allen is a Mitacs-Banting Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow with the Perley Health Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™ and the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Ottawa. His research interests include predictive modelling, network dynamics, health/well-being,
behaviour change, and artificial intelligence. In his PhD dissertation, Zack applied machine learning and network analysis to understand how health behaviours interact over time to influence health outcomes. His postdoctoral works focuses on statistical modelling of large cohort datasets such as
the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement from Europe and he is supervised by Dr. Matthieu Boisgontier.

Topic: Bridging Generations: Fostering Connection between Children and Older Adults in a Long-Term Care Home

Recorded on June 20, 2024

Presenter: Annie Robitaille, PhD., Mehwish Syed, Kathy Knight-Robinson, RECE, and Jose Alejandro Fernandez Cruz, RECE.

Objectives:

  1. Discussing the benefits of connecting children and older adults through purposeful activities in a shared setting
  2. Sharing lessons learned from cultivating intergenerational community spaces, fostering connection and enrichment
  3. Presenting program evaluation findings on participant satisfaction, benefits, and areas for improvement

 

Topic: Promoting Psychological Well-Being and Reducing Distress in Older
Ontarians: Preliminary Findings from the Online Meaning-Centered
Groups (OMG) Study

Recorded on May 22, 2024

Presenter: Dr. Marnin J. Heisel. Marnin's research focuses primarily on the promotion of psychological well-being and the prevention of suicide among older adults and other at-risk groups, and has included the development and evaluation of psychological assessment tools and interventions, and provision of educational training for healthcare providers. He has contributed to the development of National and International reports, guidelines, and position papers on suicide prevention, including in older adults, veterans, first-responders, and men in their middle years. He has received career awards and grant funding to support this work from government and foundation funders, including from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, CIHR, the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, the Lawson Health Research Institute, Movember Foundation, Ontario Mental Health Foundation, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, Public Health Agency of Canada, and SSHRC. He is the recipient of the 2011 Edwin Shneidman Award from the American Association of Suicidology, the 2010 Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) Research Award, and the 2013 CASP Service Award.

Objectives:

  1. Consider the role of Meaning in Life (MIL) in helping to enhance psychological well-being and reduce distress among older adults;
  2. Describe Online Meaning-Centered Groups (OMG) for individuals experiencing loneliness, social isolation, and/or psychological distress; &
  3. Discuss preliminary findings from a study of OMG for Ontario Retirement Home and Community residents 60 years and older, both during and following the COVID pandemic

Topic: (Dementia) D-Airing to travel across Canada: Out of care and into life

Recorded on March 26, 2024

Presenter: Alexandra Chiarelli, MSc completed her Master of Science in Aging & Health through Queen's University. Throughout her master's degree, Ali gained experience working with older adults in both institutional and community settings. Her desire to continue supporting older adults in the community led her to pursue her doctoral studies and join the LIFE Research Institute. She is currently a first-year doctoral student in the Population Health program at the University of Ottawa. Ali aims to contribute to the development of age-inclusive communities and raise awareness for the needs of older adults, specifically people living with dementia and their care partners. .

Objectives:

  1. Disseminating the different options available to persons living with Dementia within Canadian airport environments
  2. Discussing the challenges encountered by travellers with invisible disabilities, such as Dementia, and explore potential solutions for overcoming these obstacles

Topic: Future of Aging

Recorded on February 15, 2024

Presenter: Zayna Khayat is the in-house health futurist with Deloitte Canada's Healthcare and Life Sciences practice. She is adjunct faculty in the Health Sector Strategy stream at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto where she instructs courses in healthcare innovation and partnerships in the health MBA program. Zayna is a Growth Advisor at Teladoc Health in Canada, and advises a few emerging health startups.  Zayna previously led the Futures team with national home healthcare and aging social enterprise, SE Health, as their Future Strategist. Dr. Khayat was previously the lead of health system innovation at MaRS Discovery District, a health innovation hub in Toronto, Canada.

Objectives:

  1. Review how society engages with older adults
  2. Highlight key aspects of the experience of aging
  3. Explore how individuals and organizations can position themselves as long-term partners whom aging adults can depend on.

Topic: Citizen Scientists Unite: Collaborative Research with Persons Living with Dementia and Their Care Partners

Recorded on January 30, 2024

Presenter: Dr. Kimberly Carla Campbell, Research Associate at Perley Health, has had an expansive career in research and policy spanning over a decade. She recently wrapped up her postdoctoral fellowship at University of Ottawa's Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences and has a global work footprint in the Caribbean, Australia, Switzerland, and Canada. Her primary focus lies in promoting age- and Dementia-inclusive communities and advancing dementia risk reduction strategies. She has held roles at institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the University Of The West Indies, the CARPHA Caribbean Public Health Agency, and the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute. She has served as a member of the WHO's guideline development group for Dementia risk reduction and holds editorial positions with both the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, and the Journal of Global Ageing.

Objectives:

  1. Gain insights into the foundations of citizen science.
  2. Understand its advantages and challenges.
  3. Explore the role of older adults in citizen science.
  4. Highlight key findings from the Ottawa-based feasibility study involving individuals with dementia and their care partners.

Topic: Lifelong Learning - Seniors Junction Experiences with Perley and Beyond

Recorded on November 23, 2023

Presenter: Namrata Bagaria. Namrata Bagaria (Nam) is an AgeTech researcher and entrepreneur. She holds interdisciplinary degrees in medicine, public health (from Harvard University), and digital transformation. Nam excels in rapid experimentation, turning abstract ideas into Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). Her multicultural and multilingual background allows her to implement projects in diverse settings, including Afghanistan, rural and urban India, and inner-city areas of the USA and Canada. Currently, Nam is a research assistant at Perley Health, working on a VR for vision project, while also pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa.

Objectives:

  1. Sharing key insights and learnings from the pilot project conducted with Perley Health
  2.  Discuss the technologies and innovations driving lifelong learning for seniors, including the role of AI and digital solutions
  3. Providing an update on the current status and achievements of Seniors Junction, highlighting its growth and impact in addressing seniors' social isolation and wellness needs

Topic: Recipe For Health: A Multi-disciplinary Approach in LTC Homes

Recorded on October 26, 2023

Presenter: Suey Yeung. Suey Yeung is a postdoctoral fellow in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and the Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care at Perley Health.  She completed her PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2020 where her dissertation examined strategies to assess and optimise muscle health in geriatric outpatients. Following her PhD, Suey completed a postdoctoral research position in the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she focused on the role of nutrition in promoting healthy aging among community-dwelling older adults. Suey's current research aims to improve the health and well-being of older adults living in LTC homes.

Objectives:

  1. Gain insights into current interventions in LTC homes
  2. Explore the pilot multi-disciplinary program at Perley Health
  3. Share preliminary findings on its impact

Topic: Lessons learnt from the implementation of IPAC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario's nursing homes

Recorded on September 28, 2023

Presenter: Kainat Bashir is a PhD Candidate in the Health Services Research program at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (University of Toronto) and a CIHR Health System Impact Fellow at Perley Health. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on understanding the relational aspects of knowledge uptake and application, in addition to the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPAC) guidelines in Ontario's long term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research interests include implementation science, knowledge translation, quality improvement and social network analysis.

Objectives:

  1. Understanding social networks and experiences of IPAC leads during the COVID-19 pandemic
  2. Outlining facilitators and barriers to implementing IPAC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic
  3. Understanding translation capability or competence of IPAC leads and its impact on implementation

Topic: EntourAGE Interweaving Generational Tapestries

A look at a person-centered intergenerational companionship program for older adults living with Dementia

Recorded on June 21, 2023

Presenter: Linda Garcia, Ph.D., and Annie Robitaille, Ph.D.. Linda Garcia is a Professor in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences and Founding Director of the Life Research Institute (LRI) at the University of Ottawa. After co-creating the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Masters' program at the University of Ottawa, initiating and creating the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, and creating the vision for the doctoral program in Rehabilitation Sciences and the university's Interprofessional Clinic, she founded the uOttawa LIFE Research Institute which now benefits from the membership and involvement of 132 members, including about 90 academics from 9 faculties. She served as Department chair of the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology program at the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences and served a five-year term as Vice-Dean, Governance for the Faculty of Health Sciences. She represented the University of Ottawa at the Council of Ontario Universities' Academic Colleagues group and was elected by her Ontario peers to be its chair. She enjoys working on issues that directly affect local older adults' quality of life and has been a member of the Steering committee for the Champlain Dementia Network for over 15 years as well as having served with both the Ottawa Council on Aging and the Eldercare Foundation.

Annie Robitaille is an Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and holds the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair in Frailty-Informed Care at the Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care at Perley Health. Annie completed her Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa's School of Psychology in 2010 where her dissertation examined the role of social support on psychological distress among older Canadians using the National Population Health Survey. Following her Ph.D., Annie completed a postdoctoral research position in the Department of Psychology and Centre on Aging at the University of Victoria and the Integrative Analysis of Longitudinal Studies on Aging and Dementia (IALSA) research network. Her research focused on the analysis of longitudinal studies in order to answer questions about between-person and within-person change in aging-related processes. She also completed a postdoctoral research associate position with the Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care at the Bruyère Research Institute and the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Her postdoctoral research focused on better understanding responsive behaviours for people living with dementia throughout the continuum of care. Annie's current research focuses on better understanding the biopsychosocial factors related to the aging process with much of her research focusing specifically on those living with frailty in the community and in long-term care homes. Her research also aims to improve the quality of life and reduce the social isolation of older adults living with frailty across the continuum of care and their caregivers.

Objectives:

  1. Exploring the impact of intergenerational companionship on older adults with dementia and their caregivers
  2. The role of intergenerational companionship on the attitudes, beliefs, and career trajectories of students
  3. Nexus for fostering partnerships between the education and healthcare systems

 

Topic: What are the benefits of intergenerational activities?

Recorded on May 24, 2023

Presenter: Emmanuel Duplàa and Béatrice Crettenand Pecorini. Emmanuel Duplàa is a professor at the University of Ottawa, specializing in information and communication technology (ICT) for learning). He is currently conducting research at the Faculty of Education on intergenerational learning with educational video games, digital literacies, and design processes in e-learning. Professor Duplàa is a Learning Committee Lead with the LIFE Research Institute.

Béatrice Crettenand Pecorini is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Education. Her main research focuses on an innovative educational technique for the psychological well-being of seniors and social inclusion: Digital Narrative Gerontology where seniors work in pairs with young adults. She is also interested in digital literacies, from early childhood to seniors. Béatrice is a member of the Learning Committee from the LIFE Research Institute.

Objectives:

  1. To learn the benefits and limits of different intergenerational activities
  2. To be made aware of existing intergenerational projects
  3. To hear about the potential of developing intergenerational project at the residence.

Topic: Collaboration for Cognitive Accessibility

Recorded on April 12, 2023

Presenter: Dr. Virginie Cobigo. Dr. Virginie Cobigo leads research to improve the cognitive accessibility of our environment, using an inclusive research approach that fosters the meaningful contribution of individuals who experience cognitive accessibility challenges. She studied in France (Université de Caen, Université de Rennes) and Canada (Université Laval, UQAM) to become a Clinical Psychologist. She is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa and the Founder CEO of Open Collaboration for Cognitive Accessibility, a one-stop shop for cognitive accessibility expertise and resources. Open employs more than 30 individuals with a range of cognitive abilities, including persons living with dementia. You can visit their website at: OpenAccessibility.ca

Objectives:

  1. Cognitive accessibility
  2. Inclusive research
  3. How to collaborate on research to improve cognitive accessibility


Topic: Stronger Together - Creating Dementia-Inclusive Communities

Recorded on March 22, 2023

Presenters: Catharina van Es is the Project Manager for the “Stronger Together Project – Making Ottawa & Renfrew County Dementia-Inclusive”. The project focuses on reducing the stigma associated with dementia so that people living with dementia feel supported, valued and respected. Catharina spent most of her career working in the financial services industry where she honed her skills of prospecting, presenting and leading teams. After a 40 career, she retired from BMO Bank of Montreal and found a way to give back to her community through the work of the project. This has been a truly rewarding experience for Catharina.

Ana Sofia is the Project Coordinator for the “Stronger Together Project – Making Ottawa & Renfrew County Dementia-Inclusive” initiative, funded by Public Health Agency of Canada. She visualizes and interprets data and has developed online dementia-inclusive training modules. Previously, Ana Sofia was the Finance and Administration Coordinator at Simon Fraser University (SFU) where she last tenured as a grant reviewer and stakeholder for a campus/community research initiative to fund sustainability centered research projects. Ana Sofia is passionate about collaboration, innovation, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and has previously contributed to the National Diversity Council's certification program

Objectives:

  1. Provide an overview of the project
  2. Share the impacts
  3. Citizen Science Approach

Topic: Building Bridges: Connecting with Older Adults Living with Frailty Through Music

Recorded on February 9, 2023

Presenter: Gertrude “Trudy” Létourneau. Trudy has been a therapeutic musician at Perley Health since 2000. Gertrude uses her vast experience as a flutist, singer, pianist and performer to engage, connect and build bridges with the residents, especially those living with dementia and PTSD.

Objectives:

  1. Describe the role of the therapeutic musician at Perley Health
  2. Gain a better understanding of communication challenges when working with frail elderly
  3. Learn how to connect, engage and build bridges with older adults, especially those living with dementia or PTSD

 

Topic: Population based research on the health of older Veterans in Canada: The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Recorded on January 25, 2023

Presenter: Dr. Christina Wolfson, Professor in the departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Occupational Health, and Medicine, at McGill University, and senior scientist in the Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

Learning Objectives:

  1. To become familiar with the design and conduct of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
  2. To learn about the characteristics of self-identified Veterans who are participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
  3. To be introduced to a research program on Veterans' health in Canada.

Topic: Documenting the design of Ontario Long-Term Care homes from the frontline - perspectives and ideas for the future

Recorded on November 23, 2022 

Presenter: Professor Chantal Trudel, BA, BID, MSc

Moderator: Maryam Attef, MDes, Research Coordinator, School of Industrial Design, Carleton University 

Learning objectives:

  1. How we studied the design of LTC homes remotely during the pandemic collecting first-hand accounts from various stakeholders in LTC.
  2. Key aspects of home design that were important to residents, care partners and LTC workers during the pandemic.
  3. Design ideas that were co-developed with residents, care partners and LTC workers.

Topic: From Research to Program Evaluation: Using administrative data for the development, implementation and evaluation of the RESPECT algorithm for palliative care

Recorded on October 19, 2022

Presenter(s): Dr. Amy Hsu, Investigator, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™ and at the Bruyère Research Institute. Research Chair in Primary Health Care in Dementia at Bruyère Research Institute. Lecturer, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa.

Moderator: Mary Scott, Msc. Epidemiology, Research Coordinator at Bruyère Research Institute

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe how multitasking has been used to identify changes in motor and cognitive function.
  2. Explain how subjective cognitive decline could be an early target for interventions used to maintain cognitive health.
  3. Share preliminary multitasking findings with older adults from the community who report subjective cognitive decline.

 

Topic: What can Multitasking Tell us about Subjective Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

Recorded on September 13, 2022

Presenter(s): Dr. Sarah Fraser, Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa; Talia Salzman, PhD candidate in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa

Moderator: Dr. Annie Robitaille, Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™ and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe how multitasking has been used to identify changes in motor and cognitive function.
  2. Explain how subjective cognitive decline could be an early target for interventions used to maintain cognitive health.
  3. Share preliminary multitasking findings with older adults from the community who report subjective cognitive decline.

 

Topic: Rethink Aging: A Bold New Path to Life at Any Age

Recorded on June 22, 2022


Presenter: Dan Levitt, MSc., CHE, CEO Kin Village, Adjunct Professor, Gerontology at Simon Fraser, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Sessional Instructor, British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Moderator: David O'Neill, Senior Business Lead, Senior Living, Perley Health

Learning Objectives:

  1. Provide opportunities that come with an aging population, combatting ageism and promoting healthy living.
  2. Explore the broader societal view: how we need to adapt our public policies, our institutions, our social structure, and our infrastructure to make these longer lives enriching and fulfilling.
  3. Identify recent examples of age reimagined in Canada and around the world - it's not about aging, or adding years to the end of our lives, it's about living – creating a bold new path to living your
    best life.

Topic: Understanding PTSD symptoms and dementia in older Veterans living in Long-Term Care

Recorded on May 25, 2022

 

Presenter: Kim Ritchie, PhD, RN, GNC(c)

Moderator: Michaela Adams, Master of Science (Candidate), Interdisciplinary Health Science Program University of Ottawa and Research Associate at Perley Health Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™

Learning Objectives:

  1. Gain a better understanding of current literature related to PTSD in older Veterans.
  2. Learn how co-occurring PTSD symptoms and dementia are understood in Veterans who are living in Veteran Long-Term Care homes.
  3. Explore the care implications of co-occurring PTSD symptoms and dementia in Veterans.

 

Topic: Making "nonessential" family/volunteers caregiving essential in long-term care

Recorded on April 27, 2022

Presenter: Annie Robitaille, PhD., Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™ and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

Moderator: Madelyn P. Law, PhD., Associate Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning and Associate Professor Health Sciences, Brock University

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Gain a better understanding of the response to COVID-19 that pertains to family/volunteer/caregiver presence in LTC.
  2. Increase the evidence about the impact of reduced levels of family/volunteers/caregivers on the emotional and psychosocial well-being of residents and caregivers.
  3. Generate solutions and recommendations to revisit policies on family/volunteer/caregiver presence to improve the current situation and preparedness to future pandemics and outbreaks.

Topic: Why Keep Long-Term Residential Care?

Recorded on March 9, 2022

Presenter: Pat Armstrong, PhD., Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus, York University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

Moderator: Jennifer Plant, Director, Clinical Practice

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Benefits of long-term care;
  2. Critiques of long-term care;
  3. Future of long-term care.

    Topic: Research to Practice: Implementation Strategies to Improve Physical Activity Levels among Residents of Long-Term Care

    Recorded on February 24, 2022

    Presenter: Ariane Séguin Massie, Ph.D. Candidate in Kinesiology and Health Sciences at York University, and research Trainee of the Translating research into Elder Care (TREC) research program.

    Moderator: Dr. Annie Robitaille, the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

    Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation you will be able to:

    1. To review the role of implementation science for bringing evidence into practice.
    2. To learn about the strategies currently used to implement programs and practices that aim to improve physical and functional outcomes among residents of long-term care.
    3. To explore the practical applications of implementation science and implementation strategies to improve the health and overall well-being of residents.

    Topic: Addressing Loneliness: COVID-19 and Beyond

    Recorded on January 26, 2022

    Presenter: Dr. Kristine Theurer, President Java Group Programs

    Moderator: Danielle Sinden, Director, Centre of Excellence and Research Operations, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, Perley Health

    Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation you will be able to:

    1. To review the mental health challenges facing residents in senior living communities and learn why and how a model of resident peer support and mentoring can help address loneliness.
    2. To evaluate the research results of this approach and review its implementation in 10 continuing care communities.
    3. To explore take home strategies to incorporate peer support and mentoring among residents.

    For more information on the Java Group Programs click here: www.JavaGP.com

    Topic: COVID-19 and Frailty: What happened and what lies ahead?

    Recorded on November 24, 2021

    Presenter: Dr. John P. Hirdes, Professor in the School of Public Health ad Health Systems, University of Waterloo; Fellow, Balsillie School of International Affairs and Senior Canadian Fellow and Board Member of interRAI.

    Moderator: Dr. Annie Robitaille, the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

    Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation you will be able to:

    1. Participants will understand what frailty is and how it relates to other aspects of health and aging;
    2. Participants will learn about the impact of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of older adults in community and residential care settings in Canada and internationally;
    3. Participants will learn about what we can expect to be the short, medium and long-term consequences of COVID-19 for persons living with frailty.

     

    Topic: Understanding the Degree of Frailty and its Implications for Clinical Translational Research

    Recorded on October 27, 2021



    Presenter: Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, MD, FRCPC, FRCP, Professor of Medicine (Geriatric Medicine & Neurology) and the Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research at Dalhousie University.

    Moderator: Dr. Annie Robitaille, the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

    Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation you will be able to:

    1. To review how age-related damage, and decline in repair processes, results in cellular/molecular deficits that scale up to system levels, where they are jointly expressed as frailty.
    2. To illustrate how variability in the degree of frailty and the degree of social vulnerability mean that carrying damage and expressing it clinically can be distinct.
    3. To argue that studying people—and animals—who live with frailty, including them in clinical trials and measuring how the degree of frailty impacts their outcomes are ways to better understand the diseases of old age.

     

    Topic: The Role of Meaning in Life and Social Interactions in Promoting Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults

    Recorded on September 27, 2021

    Presenter: Dr. Marnin Heisel, Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor, Psychiatry, Epidemiology & Biostatistics Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University; Lawson Health Research Institute

    Moderator: Dr. Sharon Levine, CoE Committee Member/Board Member and Geriatric Psychiatrist

    Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation you will be able to:

    1. Identify the role of Meaning in Life and social support in promoting psychological well-being among older adults;
    2. Critically reflect upon theory and research investigating meaning-centered approaches to protecting against suicide thoughts and behaviour in later life; and
    3. Appraise and discuss new research projects that aim to promote psychological well-being and reduce psychological distress among older adults in the context of life transitions and pandemic-related social restrictions.

    Topic: Elder Abuse: You Have a Role to Play

    Recorded on June 24, 2021

    Co-Presenters:

    John E. Johnson, Vice-Chair of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, Co-Author of Elder Abuse - You Have a Role to Play

    Sabby Duthie, owner and operator of retirement homes within the Ottawa region, Co-author of Elder Abuse - You Have a Role to Play

    Moderator: Stéphanie Cadieux, Director of Education, The Council on Aging of Ottawa

    Description: John and Sabby will engage in an open dialogue discussing certain elements from their book Elder Abuse - You Have a Role to Play. This first-of-its-kind book undertakes the uncomfortable conversation that so many are unwilling to have — that elder abuse is widespread and very real. This book educates the reader to recognize elder abuse in its early stages before the damage is irreparable. John and Sabby will share real stories from families of different generations and backgrounds. Combined with reliable statistics, the result is chilling evidence that elder abuse exists in every facet of our senior citizens' lives. The stories shared will encompass every level of contact, including doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, family members, social workers, and frontline workers at both retirement homes and long-term care centres. Participants are encouraged to ask questions to gain practical advice to help identify, intervene and prevent elder abuse!       

    You Have a Role to Play Book CoverTo purchase a copy of the book please visit: www.bridgegencanadacentre.com. All net proceeds of the sale of each book will be distributed by BridgeGen Canada Centre, a non-profit organization, to groups supporting the fight against ageism and elder abuse.

    Topic: Navigating the Journey of Caring for a Loved One with Dementia

    Recorded on May 26, 2021

    Presenter: Claire Webster, Founder and Ambassador, Dementia Education Program, McGill University and Founder and President of Caregiver Crosswalk Inc.

    Moderator: Dr. Annie Robitaille, the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

    Description: Receiving a diagnosis of dementia can prove to be a difficult reality for individuals and family members – especially during the time of a global pandemic. The key to navigating this journey is to find acceptance and avoid denial, become as educated as possible about the disease, understand how it will progress, make health care plans for the future, and ensure a safe home environment. It's important to provide family caregivers with as much support as possible in order to avoid caregiver burnout. In this presentation, Claire Webster will share her journey as a caregiver to her late mother. She will talk about the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and share some important lessons that she learned along the way in terms of having the proper tools to manage the care of a loved one who has dementia. She will also explain how to navigate the health care system, and highlight the unexpected financial expenses that individuals need to be prepared for. Claire will also share the ripple effect that being a caregiver had on her own health, family and career, and the resilience that is required in order to recover from a severe burnout.

    Topic: Long-Term Care: Safety and Quality of Life during COVID-19

    Recorded on April 27, 2021

    • Co-Presenters:
      • Dr. Benoît Robert, Chief Medical Officer, The Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre
      • Kathryn May, Nurse Practitioner, TOH Nurse Led Outreach at The Ottawa Hospital
      • Tania Paolini, Manager, Infection Prevention and Control, The Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre
    • Moderator: Jennifer Plant, Director of Clinical Practice, The Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre
    • Description: While the need to create a safe environment for long-term care residents and families is essential during this COVID-19 pandemic, supporting quality of life goals remains a central focus. This presentation will describe the collaborative approach to balance the risk of infection from COVID-19 with resident quality of life using concrete examples from the lived experience of local clinicians and infection and prevention control (IPAC) experts.

    Topic: The Future is Now: Innovative living environments for older adults with cognitive impairment

    Recorded on March 10, 2021

    Presenter: Dr. Philippe Voyer, Laval University

    Moderator: Dr. Annie Robitaille, the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair, Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care, and Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa

    Opening remarks: Dr. Linda Garcia, Director LIFE Research Institute and Full Professor, University of Ottawa

    Description: Many well-known projects such as Alzheimer's villages and Greenhouse projects have been designed to stimulate culture change in homes for older adults with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. While the need to create the best living environments for this population has been known for years, COVID-19 has made this clearer than ever. The presentation will highlight the underlying principles of the most innovative special housing units and the research data that support them. Concrete  examples will be presented, including a new residence recently created in Quebec City.

    This  is a partnership between the Perley Health Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care and the LIFE Research Institute at the University of Ottawa.