All times are displayed in Eastern Canadian Time (ET).
About the Talk: Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) experience a higher prevalence of dementia than non-Indigenous people in Canada. Due to lasting and ongoing effects of colonization and colonial policies, Indigenous Peoples have higher rates of risk factors for dementia such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released 94 Calls to Action urging the federal government, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, to close these health disparities. Additionally, Canada’s National Dementia Strategy calls for additional work to improve brain health and dementia prevention resources and initiatives for Indigenous communities. Ensuring risk reduction is culturally relevant and culturally distinct is therefore an urgent priority in Canadian health systems. This webinar will discuss current scope of risk reduction, and how this can be understood within First Nation and Métis worldviews. The speakers will share research done in partnership with different communities in Canada (First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario and Métis communities in Alberta), including what they have learned from these communities in terms of their distinct understandings of dementia, health, and risk reduction. The webinar will end with a discussion on what next steps can and will be taken to support culturally safe dementia care.
Learning objectives:
Increase knowledge around key dementia risk factors for Indigenous populations in Canada, including social determinants of health
Understand the importance of culturally distinct research and care in addressing dementia risk
Understand the current scope of risk reduction, and how this can be broadened through Indigenous perspectives
Learn about existing research and community-led initiatives focussed on dementia prevention and risk reduction for Indigenous people in Canada
Identify priority areas of future research and practice for Indigenous dementia prevention and risk reduction
About the Speakers:
Brittany Skov (she/her) (left) began her PhD in clinical psychology at Lakehead University in 2025 under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Mushquash and Dr. Jennifer Walker. She completed her MA in clinical psychology at Lakehead University (2025) and her HBSc in psychology and Indigenous Studies at the University of Victoria (2023).Brittany is originally from southern Ontario and is a member of the Mississauga’s of the Credit First Nation with Dutch, Danish, Irish, and German ancestry. Her research interests centre on prevention and reducing the risk of the incidence and progression of chronic illnesses among Indigenous populations, healthy brain aging and dementia, and community-based/led research. She is also interested in approaches to improving access to culturally safe care through education. Brittany is a Vanier scholar and supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Shanaya von Scheel (she/her) (right) is Cree from Cowessess First Nations, and lives and works in Mokinstsis (colonially known as Calgary), on Treaty 7 territory. She is a Research Associate in Indigenous Brain Health at the University of Calgary. She holds a Master’s in Social Justice and Human Rights, and has a passion for health equity, social determinants of health, and Indigenous human rights.