About the Talk: Given our aging Canadian population, and the increased number of older adults with dementia, it is highly likely that young people will encounter dementia, potentially within their own families, and certainly within the community. People with lived experience of dementia and informal caregivers have expressed that lack of education and stigma about dementia can lead to difficulties with engaging in community which thereby increases likelihood of social isolation. The creation of dementia friendly communities where people can feel understood, welcome and included is a major priority identified by Canadians with lived experience. BRIDGE (Broadening Relationships through Intergenerational Dementia Guidance and Education) was created in collaboration with the BC Dementia Care society and people with lived experience of dementia. The main goal of BRIDGE is to help scaffold the next generation of inclusive communities for individuals living with all types of dementia by engaging high school students. Broadly, this project aims to (1) understand the level of knowledge of dementia-related knowledge in high school students, (2) determine whether adapted tools (i.e., the UK Dementia-Friendly Generation and Flipping Stigma Toolkits) will be effective in educating about dementia-friendly communities and reducing stigma, and (3) determine community-based outcomes of providing dementia-friendly education to youth.
Learning Objectives:
Learn about research priorities of people with lived experience and explore gaps in dementia-related research
Learn about dementia friendly communities
Discover and learn about a community-involved research project (BRIDGE) aimed at fulfilling these gaps within the community
About the Speakers:
Dr. Jodie Gawryluk (left) a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, cross-appointed in the Division of Medical Sciences, and Director at the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health at the University of Victoria. Dr. Gawryluk’s research using neuropsychological and neuroimaging approaches to understand both healthy aging and neurodegenerative conditions. As part of the CARING Dementia Collaborative, she is also involved in research that helps communities become more age and dementia inclusive.
Bhavana Gill (right) is a first-year Masters student at the University of Victoria, where she is studying Clinical Neuropsychology under the supervision of Dr. Jodie Gawryluk. Broadly, her research focuses on improving diagnosis, intervention, and care for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. Specifically, Bhavana has focused her training on understanding various aspects of dementia as well as exploring how to improve outcomes for individuals living with dementia. Bhavana is passionate about knowledge translation and hopes to integrate research and community-based work with the BRIDGE project.