Alzheimer Society Coffee Break fundraiser

Thanks to the AHS faculty, staff, and students, and everyone who attended the "Coffee Break" fundraising event on September 18!

Your generosity helped MAREP and the Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo raise $466.46 for the local Alzheimer Society chapter. This annual fundraising initiative helps to support the programs and services provided by the Alzheimer KW to persons living with dementia and their care partners in our community.

"Coffee Break" at the Fireplace Lounge in LHS with Lisa Loiselle, Jessica Luh Kim, Jennifer Gillies, and Darla Fortune.

Jennifer Gillies, formerly MAREP staff and now the Executive Director of Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge, dropped in to show her support. Thank you, Jennifer, for your effort in cultivating and maintaining partnerships in the community for dementia care! Read her reflections on leaving MAREP and beginning her new journey by clicking here.

Get involved

Alzheimer Society Coffee Break is a nationwide fundraiser that continues throughout the month of October. Would you like to participate in a local Coffee Break or host one with your organization, community, friends, or family? Find out how by clicking here.

Gather at the Gallery Exhibit on now

MAREP's Lisa Meschino is featured in an article in the Kitchener Record about the Alzheimer Society's Gather at the Gallery program and exhibit. 

Gather at the Gallery, a 10 week collaborative program run with local art galleries, museums and studios, provides an opportunity for persons with dementia and their care partners to "learn and talk about art, and experiment with different media, including pottery, glass, fusion, paining, collage and drawing" (para. 4).

The Waterloo Community Arts Centre/Button Factory on Regina Street South in Waterloo is featuring a special exhibition of the participants' art until May 31st.

Lisa Meschino is working with the Alzheimer Society of KW to research the impacts of this program. For more information on Lisa's work, click here for an article posted in MAREP's newsletter.

Mayor's Forum Age Friendly Waterloo

In November 2009, Mayor Halloran hosted Waterloo's first Age Friendly City forum. Since that time our community has worked together to ensure that the City of Waterloo becomes a place where all residents age safely, enjoy good health and participate fully in their community. On Thursday June 14th Mayor Halloran will be hosting the Age Friendly Waterloo Forum from 8:30-12:00pm at Luther Village on the Park. (Please see flyer below for details.)

U of G Accessibility Conference

The University of Guelph is hosting an Accessibility Conference from Tuesday May 29-Wednesday May 30th. One of the sessions that stands out is the presentation by the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies that explores 'Livable and Inclusive Communities for Seniors with Disabilities and all Citizens: Model and Tools for Actions - Research & Teaching'. This topic is relevant to us at MAREP since we have been working with community partners on an Age Friendly Initiative (to view MAREP's age friendly communities website, click here). For a full conference program, and more information on this session, please click here.

WW Dementia Network Education Day

There is still space available for you to register for the Education Day hosted by the Waterloo Wellington Dementia Network where Dr. Sherry Dupuis, Director of MAREP, is presenting.

Topic 1: Rethinking the Language of Dementia (What we say and how we say it matters)
Dr. Sherry Dupuis PhD., MAREP Director, University of Waterloo discusses how words shape our thinking and impact the care we provide.

Topic 2: Compassion Fatigue (Finding your balance)
Sandra Parkinson and Laura McShane, Community Educators from The Canadian Mental Health Association, discuss how we in caring professions often struggle with how to refuel our emotional wellness while giving of ourselves daily.

Location: St. George’s Hall in Waterloo, 665 King St. North, Waterloo
Date: Friday, June22nd
Time: 8:30 – 3:30 (registration at 8:00)
Cost: $50.00 (includes refreshments, lunch, compassion Fatigue Workbook and Handouts)
Register:online at www.alzheimerkw.com or Call 519-742-1422

Join the Fireside Chat!

On June 19th from 12-1pm, we will be leading a fireside chat (i.e. a web-based seminar put on by the Alzheimer Knowledge Exchange) about the PiDC Alliance. The PiDC Alliance is a collaborative research network and research initiative focused on improving the dementia care experience for persons with dementia, family members, and staff in long-term care and community-based care. The session will highlight key findings from the project and offer tools and resources to those seeking to embark on their own culture change initiative. To join the session, follow the directions below. For more information on the PiDC Alliance, visit the website at www.pidc.uwaterloo.ca

Login information for live event

1. From your telephone: dial the teleconference line: 1-855-450-7670 enter pass code: 2371438

2. To log in to the web conference, go to: http://ake.adobeconnect.com/join
3. In the Adobe Connect login screen, use the first login option to login as a GUEST:

• Enter the session by selecting the 'Guest' option
• Enter your First and Last Name
• Click 'Enter Room'- you should be in!

Note:

• Log in at least 10 minutes before the session.
• If the link does not work directly from this document, please copy and paste it into your web browser address bar
• If your computer SPEAKERS are on please turn it OFF or MUTE the volume to prevent feedback

Mayor’s Age Friendly Forum

The City of Waterloo has been named a member of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network of Age-friendly Cities for its commitment to assessing and improving its age-friendliness. Join us on June 14th, 8:30-12:00 at the Sunshine Centre in Luther Village where the City of Waterloo will be sharing information about this designation. An agenda with a timeline for the day will be posted soon.

Cambridge AFC Launch and Learn

Jessica Luh, MAREP’s Associate Director of Research, participated in Cambridge's age friendly community launch and learn hosted by the Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries. Dr. Heckman and Mr. Liu from Yee Hong were guest speakers along with a representative from Abbeyfield Home.

Jessica was particularly interested to hear Dr. Heckman's perspective as to what he thought were some of the challenges of an integrated health care system in our LHIN. He emphasized the success of Linda Lee's memory care clinic model and the importance of education and support services for persons with dementia and their partners in care. Mr. Liu talked about Yee Hong’s model of care as well as their mission, philosophy and the services they offer. It was clear from the presentation that Yee Hong is really striving to move from traditional models of care towards the social model of living.

Yee Hong has created a DVD called "Breaking the myths about dementia" and offers numerous programs and services that support persons living in their homes and in the community. Jessica found Abbeyfield's housing model to be very interesting. Jessica will apply this knowledge to her work with the Dementia and Design committee.

Public Lecture with Dr. Stephen Post

Jessica Luh, MAREP's Associate Director of Research, listened to and met Dr. Stephen Post last night at a free public lecture put on by the Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton in partnership with the Cilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, McMaster University. The theme of his lecture was 'hope and continuing self identity: finding meaning in the care of those with memory loss'.

Dr. Stephen Post is a professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University and the author of two bestselling books, "the Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease" and "The Hidden Gifts of Helping".

Dr. Post's perspective is very much aligned with MAREP's as he openly discussed the importance of "accepting, affirming, connecting, and respecting" and how a person's personhood is still ever present even in the later stages of the illness.