McGill Cares

McGill alumnus Marc Séguin, MBA, is the author of Advocacy in Aging, a book about estate and healthcare planning.  It was influenced by his personal experience helping families plan and deal with inevitable changes in life that are triggered by aging, including dementia.  These experiences enabled him to develop the PACT (Plan-Activate-Communicate-Transition) framework, an approach to maintaining continuity in financial affairs and personal care.  

Mr. Séguin will share the PACT framework, explaining the value of adopting this approach. 

McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

During candid, 30-minute interviews with leading experts, Claire Webster explores topics related to caring for a loved one with dementia.

From survivor to leader: A journey of resilience and advocacy

Join us for an inspiring webcast featuring a courageous cancer survivor who turned her personal battle into a powerful mission. Laurel Gillespie, MBA, CHE, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA). Her journey into this field was inspired by her own health challenges which motivated her to advocate for enhanced support for those living with a life-limiting illness. Since assuming leadership in 2021, Ms. Gillespie has championed dignified end-of-life care standards across Canada through partnerships, advocacy, and education.  She currently serves on the boards of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance and the Health Charities Coalition of Canada.

She will share her journey of resilience, the importance of compassionate end-of-life care, and why everyone should have advance care directives in place. 

Carmen Desjardins, B. Sc. (inf.), est chef du Programme de démence avec comorbidités psychiatriques à l’Institut de recherche Douglas. Elle a été chef et fondatrice de l’équipe ambulatoire des symptômes comportementaux et psychologiques de la démence (SCPD) du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal). Elle a participé à la mise en œuvre du plan Alzheimer, et elle est membre du comité d’experts qui élabore les lignes directrices du MSSS pour le traitement des SCPD et pour le Centre d’excellence sur la longévité. 

Mme Desjardins parlera de son travail au Centre Moe Levin de l’Institut de recherche Douglas, et en particulier des symptômes comportementaux et psychologiques des troubles neurocognitifs et de la façon de les gérer. 

Cette balado est aussi disponible en anglais 

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence.  

Carmen Desjardins, BSc(N) is Program Manager of the Dementia and Psychiatric Comorbidities Program at the Douglas Research Institute.   She was the chief and founder of the Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) ambulatory team of the Montreal West Island Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal).  She has been involved in implementing their Alzheimer’s plan and is a member of the panel of experts who develop MSSS guidelines for treating BPSD and for the Centre of Excellence on Longevity. 

 Ms. Desjardins will talk about her work at the Moe Levin Centre at the Douglas Research Institute, including the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and how to manage them. 

 This free podcast is also available in French. 

McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Christopher Labos, MD, MSc, is a cardiologist with a degree in epidemiology, an Associate at the McGill University Office for Science and Society and co-host of the award-winning podcast The Body of Evidence. He is a columnist with the Montreal Gazette and Medscape, featured on the Sunday Morning House Call on CJAD 800 Montreal, and has a regular TV segment with CTV Montreal and CBC Morning Live.  He is the author of Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: And 8 More Myths about the Food We Eat, a book about food epidemiology and why food headlines are usually wrong.  

Untreated diabetes has been identified as a risk factor for developing dementia.  Dr. Labos will look at the relationship between diabetes and dementia and explain the lifestyle factors that can lead to developing diabetes, separating real science from online headlines. 

McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

 Sarah Widmeyer is Senior Vice-President, Wealth Strategies and Chief Marketing Officer at Richardson Wealth Limited.   Ms. Widmeyer currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto and has served for 8 years as a Director of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative, a charitable organization focused on funding research and creating education programs to combat brain-aging diseases that primarily affect women. 

She will discuss some financial planning best practices and offer simple tips to minimize financial stresses felt among family members caring for aging parents.

This free webcast is in English.

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

Join us on December 4th at noon for the next McGill Cares webcast to support informal caregivers. During candid, 30-minute interviews with leading experts, Claire Webster explores topics related to caring for a loved one with dementia.

Lorenzo’s House – a beacon of light for young onset patients and their families

Lorenzo’s House is a non-profit social impact organization designed to empower youth and families living with young onset dementia. Lorenzo’s House aims to shift the narrative and cure isolation, build community and drive forward dementia justice. Diana Cose and Jessica Eggert will share their journeys as care partners to young onset patients and discuss the ongoing role of Lorenzo’s House in their healing. 

Diana Cose is the Founding Executive Director of Lorenzo’s House, which she founded after her husband was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease. She experienced firsthand the massive gap in the memory care space for young patients and decided to make meaning from the isolating diagnosis in her family by creating a place that builds community, delivers on innovation and brings light.

Jessica Eggert is the former caregiver of her mother who was diagnosed with young onset dementia in 2014 and a former full-time high-school math and social-emotional learning teacher.  As a young caregiver, she found Lorenzo’s House to be a place of healing in community, and now she is involved in running the youth programming to honour her mother.

This free webcast is in English.

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

De nouvelles recherches montrent que nous pouvons prendre des mesures pour prévenir et ralentir le déclin cognitif en renforçant notre réserve cognitive. 

Sylvie Belleville, Ph. D., est titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en neurosciences cognitives du vieillissement et plasticité cérébrale, professeure titulaire au Département de psychologie de l’Université de Montréal, et chercheuse au Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM). Elle s’est vu décerner de nombreux prix en reconnaissance de ses travaux, notamment le prix Adrien Pinard de la Société québécoise pour la recherche en psychologie, le prix professionnel de l’Association des psychologues du Québec, le prix Léo-Pariseau de l’ACFAS et un doctorat honoris causa de l’Université de Mons. Elle est également membre de l’Académie canadienne des sciences de la santé. 

Sylvie Belleville est connue pour ses travaux sur l’entraînement cognitif des personnes âgées et la prévention du déclin cognitif et des troubles neurocognitifs. Elle a identifié les processus compensatoires et le phénomène de plasticité cérébrale dans le vieillissement. Elle a aussi élaboré un important programme de recherche en neuropsychologie du vieillissement et des troubles neurocognitifs, en plus d’aider à mieux comprendre les déficits neuropsychologiques chez les personnes présentant des signes précoces de maladie d’Alzheimer ou de troubles cognitifs légers.  

Ce balado est en français.  

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence.  

Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest is a road map for navigating a life-changing diagnosis. The book’s authors, Dr. Hsien Seow and Dr. Sammy Winemaker, have identified seven keys to unlock a better illness experience.  They will discuss those keys and how they apply to a diagnosis of dementia. 

Hsien Seow, MD is the Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care and Health System Innovation and a Professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University. He publishes healthcare and policy research focused on improving care for patients with serious illness. 

Sammy Winemaker, MD is an Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, in the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University. She teaches palliative care to healthcare professionals. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

En juillet, la Commission Lancet a publié son rapport 2024 sur la prévention, les interventions et les soins associés aux troubles neurocognitifs. Le Dr Gauthier expliquera en quoi consistent les découvertes sur les facteurs de risque modifiables des troubles neurocognitifs, et comment leur prise en compte peut prévenir ou retarder la progression de la maladie. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, est neurologue clinicien spécialisé dans le développement de nouveaux outils de diagnostic et de traitement pour les personnes souffrant de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Il est coresponsable universitaire du Programme de formation sur la démence et professeur émérite au Département de neurologie et neurochirurgie et au Département de psychiatrie de l’Université McGill. Le Dr Gauthier a été directeur du Centre de recherche et d’études sur le vieillissement de l’Université McGill de 1986 à 1997. Ses travaux lui ont valu d’être décoré de l’Ordre national du Canada en 2014 et de l’Ordre national du Québec en 2017. 

Cette webémission est disponible en anglais et en français.  

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence.  

In July, the Lancet Commission launched its 2024 report on dementia prevention, intervention, and care.  Dr. Gauthier will explain the new findings on modifiable risk factors for dementia, and how addressing them can prevent or delay disease progression. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, is a clinical neurologist specializing in the development of new tools for diagnosis and treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. He is the Academic Co-Lead for the Dementia Education Program and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. Dr. Gauthier was the Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging from 1986 to 1997. His accomplishments led to him being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014 and the National Order of Québec in 2017. 

Air date: Sept. 18, 2024

This webcast is available in English and French. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

NOTE: This episode is in French only. These topics were addressed in English in April, 2024

Hélène Guay est une avocate, diplômée de McGill, en étroite collaboration avec les personnes âgées et leurs partenaires de soins afin de démystifier et de faciliter les processus juridiques. Elle pratique depuis plus de 30 ans le droit de la santé, le droit relatif aux droits de la personne et le droit des aînés.

Me Guay apportera des éclaircissements sur les évaluations et les documents juridiques requis pour prendre des décisions au nom d’une personne qui n’est plus en mesure de le faire pour elle-même.

Cette webémission est en français.

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence.

Christina Smith has been involved in municipal politics with the City of Westmount for over ten years. She was first elected as City Councillor in 2013, then as Mayor in 2017. 

Mayor Smith will share her experience as a caregiver to her late father who recently passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. She will talk about the impact this disease has had on her and her family, and discuss both the challenges and positive encounters she faced with the healthcare system. 

McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.   

Joanne Besner, BSW, MBA, ACC, and caregiver, received her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Business Administration from McGill University, and a Professional Coaching designation from the John Molson Executive Centre at Concordia University. Ms. Besner coaches and facilitates workshops for health care professionals and community organizations, including the McGill University School of Social Work, where she is also an internship liaison supervisor. Her 35-year career in Quebec community health care spans many roles including frontline social work, clinical supervisor, manager, researcher and trainer. 

Ms. Besner will explain how negative emotions can interfere with our ability to manage difficult situations and offer tools to help us respond constructively to challenging situations. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.   

Pam Orzeck, MSW, PhD, is Associate Professor in the McGill School of Social Work and part of the coordination team at the Caregiver Grief Connexion project. Her latest research focuses on women's bereavement experiences after caregiving. She has published several articles and co-edited a book on professional interventions with caregivers.  

Zelda Freitas, BA, BSW, MSW, is Adjunct Professor at the McGill School of Social Work and part of the coordination team of the Caregiver Grief Connexion project. Ms Freitas’ expertise involves caregivers and caregiving, psychosocial practice, including palliative care and end-of-life care, countering adult mistreatment and older adults.  

Stephanie Geller, MSW, is the Team Lead, Clinical Social Worker, at Lianas Senior Transition Support.  She has been working with seniors for the last 25 years, helping them and their families with caregiving issues, including navigating social services, work-life balance issues, stress, anxiety, burnout and coping through major life decisions. 

Anna Kamateros, Notary, TEP, is Department Head, Wills Estates and Planning at KRB Lawyers.  Me Kamateros provides estate and later-life planning services that optimize wealth transfer and reduce estate conflicts.  Her work with respect to estate planning, including the preparation of final wills and testaments and protection mandates, includes advising liquidators on their duties administering the estate.  She is also a researcher for the Chaire de recherche Antoine-Turmel sur la protection juridique des aînés and a consultant on the multisectoral team to help counter the mistreatment of older adults. She is part of the expert committee for the Quebec Chamber of Notaries on the implementation of the law to better protect vulnerable persons. 

This webcast's goal is to provide clarity on the assessments and legal documentation required to make decisions on behalf of a person who is no longer able to make important decisions for themselves. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.   

Andrea Warnick, RN, MA, is a Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Nurse who supports individuals, families and communities who are grieving illness or death in their lives. She co-owns AWC Grief Support, a group practice of over 30 therapists who provide grief therapy across Ontario and grief consultation and education across Canada.  Ms. Warnick developed the five-day Children's grief and bereavement certificate program at SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute. She also hosts Kids Grief Q&A, a free monthly webinar offered by Canadian Virtual Hospice, where she responds to questions from families and professionals from across the country about supporting grieving children and youth.  

Ms. Warnick will answer questions about how to speak to children about grave illnesses and how to recognize and address grieving in children. 

This webcast is in English. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.   

McGill Cares is an initiative of the McGill Dementia Education Program, which is funded by private donations.

Julie Bickerstaff, MSW, is Director of Caregiver Support & Knowledge Transfer at l’Appui pour les proches aidants, a caregiver support organization. Over the past 20 years of working in the health and social services network, public health, territorial organization and community sectors, she has developed a rich and varied expertise in consultation and mobilization, social development and program management.  

Ms. Bickerstaff will speak about the services offered by l’Appui pour les proches aidants that are available throughout the province of Quebec in English and French. 

This webcast is in English. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.  

Marie-Eve Bolduc, Ph. D., est professeure adjointe à l’École de physiothérapie et d’ergothérapie de l’Université McGill. Ses intérêts de recherche touchent particulièrement les troubles d’origine cérébraux, les troubles développementaux et l’enseignement par simulation. Forte de son expérience d’ergothérapeute, de responsable de programme et d’éducatrice en simulation, elle participe depuis 2019 à l’élaboration de matériel de formation sur les troubles neurocognitifs majeurs au sein du programme de formation sur les troubles neurocognitifs de l’Université McGill. 

Pendant la pandémie, la Pre Bolduc a supervisé la création, par quatre de ses étudiantes, d’un livret d’activités pour les personnes atteintes de troubles neurocognitifs et leurs proches aidants. Le livret a été très populaire et grâce à ses conseils et au financement de la Fondation proches aimants Petro-Canada, nous avons pu donner vie à certaines de ces activités en vidéos. 

La Pre Bolduc expliquera pourquoi il est important pour les personnes atteintes de troubles neurocognitifs de continuer à participer à des activités de loisirs et aux activités de la vie quotidienne. Elle donnera aussi des conseils pour adapter les activités en fonction des capacités de la personne. Puis, elle présentera quelques-unes des nouvelles vidéos sur les activités liées aux troubles neurocognitifs que nous lancerons sur notre site web. 

Ce balado est disponible en français et en anglais.

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence. 

Jocelyn Downie is a Professor Emerita in the Faculties of Law and Medicine at Dalhousie University with a particular interest in end-of-life care.  She served as Special Advisor to the Canadian Senate Committee on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide and was involved in several national and provincial expert panels that address end-of-life decision-making and physician-assisted dying.    

Professor Downie is the author of Dying Justice: A Case for the Decriminalizing Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in Canada, which was awarded the Abbyann D. Lynch Medal in Bioethics from the Royal Society of Canada. She was named a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and made a member of the Order of Canada in recognition of her work advocating for high quality, end-of-life care.   

Professor Downie discusses whether, and how, people living with dementia can request Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD). 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.  

McGill Cares was launched by the Dementia Education Program during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 13, 2020, while many of us were isolating at home. Claire Webster, Founder of the Program, had the idea to record short interviews with different experts on topics of interest to care partners of people living with neurocognitive disorders to help educate and support them during this difficult time. 

On November 15, 2023, we aired the 100th episode of McGill Cares! Dr. José Morais, Dr. Serge Gauthier, Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto and Claire Webster looked at highlights from the past three years and answered questions.  

If you were not able to join us for the live webcast, it was recorded and is posted here and on our website to listen to or view at your convenience, like all past episodes of McGill Cares. 

Since launching McGill Cares, we have had over 70,000 views of our free online webcasts. Thank you for being an important part of our success. 

Original air date: Nov. 15, 2023

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 McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Lucy Barylak, MSW, is a social gerontology consultant for the CIUSSS-West-Central Montreal and a graduate of the McGill University School of Social Work, where she is also a liaison supervisor. Ms. Barylak has developed evidence-based training for seniors and caregivers, and she lectures in the field of social gerontology and knowledge transfer.  She facilitates “Dear Lucy,” an online show about caregiving funded by the WellMed Foundation in the U.S.  She founded and, for many years, managed the Caregiver Support Centre at the CLSC Rene-Cassin, a multi-service respite centre for family and informal caregivers. Ms. Barylak received the Queen’s Jubilee Award for her role in developing a national coalition to support caregivers across Canada. 

Lucy will discuss why people living with dementia might refuse personal daily care and provide some tips for what caregivers can do when faced with those situations. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.  

Corrie Sirota is a clinical social worker and sessional lecturer at the McGill School of Social Work who specializes in loss, bereavement. Corrie is also a TEDx speaker, the Clinical Director at Myra's Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports bereaved children and their families and the author of Someone Died...Now What? A Personal and Professional Perspective on Coping with Loss and Grief.   

Ms. Sirota will speak about the types of loss triggered by a diagnosis of dementia, the varied emotions that accompany it and ways to cope with anticipatory grief.  

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Mr. Matt Del Vecchio is a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA).  He is the owner of Lianas Senior Transition Support, which provides families with guidance and support in navigating home care and senior living communities.  Mr. Del Vecchio is also co-host of a popular weekly radio show, “Life Unrehearsed” on CJAD800 in Montreal and writes for The Suburban newspaper as their "Seniors and Aging" columnist.   

There will come a point in time when one needs to consider a transition from home into a senior-living community.  These decisions can be filled with emotion, guilt and anxiety. What can be done to avoid crisis mode?  Mr. Del Vecchio will discuss the steps that can be taken to allow for a smooth and less stressful transition.  

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Nancy Mayo, PhD, is a Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Medicine and the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University.  She is a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, where she leads a research program on Function, Disability and Quality of Life for vulnerable populations.  She is Co-Founder and CEO of PhysioBiometrics Inc., a McGill spin-off company dedicated to developing accessible wearable technologies targeting vulnerable populations so people can move better to move more. 

Prof. Mayo will discuss best practices for walking in order to avoid falls as we age and explain how wearable technology can help improve gait and movement. 

McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, est neurologue clinicien spécialisé dans le développement de nouveaux outils de diagnostic et de traitement pour les personnes souffrant de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Il est coresponsable universitaire du Programme de formation sur la démence et professeur émérite au Département de neurologie et neurochirurgie et au Département de psychiatrie de l’Université McGill. Le Dr Gauthier a été directeur du Centre de recherche et d’études sur le vieillissement de l’Université McGill de 1986 à 1997. Ses travaux lui ont valu d’être décoré de l’Ordre national du Canada en 2014 et de l’Ordre national du Québec en 2017. 

Le Dr Gauthier fera le point sur les nouveaux produits pharmaceutiques sur le marché, présentant notamment les processus d’approbation de Santé Canada ou de la FDA, leur fonctionnement, les personnes admissibles, les effets secondaires, la disponibilité et les coûts. 

Cette webémission est aussi disponible en anglais. 

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, is a clinical neurologist specializing in the development of new tools for diagnosis and treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. He is the Academic Co-Lead for the Dementia Education Program and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. Dr. Gauthier was the Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging from 1986 to 1997. His accomplishments led to him being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014 and the National Order of Québec in 2017. 

Dr. Gauthier will provide an overview of new pharmaceuticals on the market, including how they obtained Health Canada and/or FDA approval, how they work, who is eligible, side effects, availability and cost.  

This podcast is also available in French. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Pedro Rosa-Neto, MD, is Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging (MCSA).  He is a Professor of Neurology at McGill University and a clinical neurologist with expertise in the quantification of dementia pathophysiology and preclinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease using biomarkers. He is also affiliated with the Douglas Research Institute, the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Department of Psychiatry, and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University. 

Dr. Rosa-Neto will talk about the type of research that is undertaken at the MCSA, the role of research volunteers, and how to become a research participant. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Marie Moliner is a full-time caregiver for Kevin Whitaker, her true love who has Parkinson’s disease and dementia. She participated in the making of Still Headroom: Parkinson’s and the Power of Care, a short documentary about her life with Kevin.  She is writing a book about her experience and volunteers as Assistant Editor for the Townships Sun.  Before she retired at 55 to look after Kevin, she was a lawyer and public servant who volunteered extensively.  

In this special edition of McGill Cares, we will present Still Headroom: Parkinson’s and the Power of Care and Ms. Moliner will speak about the importance of documenting the journey she is on with her husband.   

Serge Gauthier, MD, is a clinical neurologist specializing in the development of new tools for diagnosis and treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. He is the Academic Co-Lead for the Dementia Education Program and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. Dr. Gauthier was the Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging from 1986 to 1997. His accomplishments led to him being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014 and the National Order of Québec in 2017. 

Dr. Gauthier will provide an overview of the research into natural cognitive decline and how to maintain brain health as we age. 

This podcast is also available in French.

Original air date: May 17, 2023

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Serge Gauthier, MD, est neurologue clinicien spécialisé dans le développement de nouveaux outils de diagnostic et de traitement pour les personnes souffrant de la maladie d’Alzheimer.  Il est coresponsable universitaire du Programme de formation sur la démence et professeur émérite au Département de neurologie et neurochirurgie et au Département de psychiatrie de l’Université McGill. Le Dr Gauthier a été directeur du Centre de recherche et d’études sur le vieillissement de l'Université McGill de 1986 à 1997.  Ses travaux lui ont valu d’être décoré de l’Ordre national du Canada en 2014 et de l’Ordre national du Québec en 2017. 

Le Dr Gauthier donnera un aperçu de la recherche sur le déclin cognitif naturel et sur la manière de garder le cerveau en santé en vieillissant. 

Cette webémission est aussi disponible en anglais. 

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence. 

Guylaine  Ferland, Ph. D., est professeure de nutrition à l’Université de Montréal et scientifique au Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal. La Pre Ferland mène des recherches sur le rôle général de la nutrition dans la santé cognitive pendant le vieillissement. Elle est une experte du métabolisme de la vitamine K, et son équipe a grandement contribué à comprendre le rôle de ce nutriment dans la fonction cérébrale et la cognition.  

Elle parlera de la nutrition et de la démence, notamment de la façon de fournir une bonne alimentation aux personnes atteintes de démence, et de ce que nous savons des avantages de cette approche. 

La Pre Ferland présenté ce sujet en anglais le 14 décembre 2022, et nous l'offrons maintenant en français. 

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence. 

Gustavo Duque, MD, PhD, is a geriatrician and a clinical and biomedical researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. He is the Director of the RIUSSS McGill Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health of Seniors at McGill University and the Dr. Joseph Kaufmann Chair in Geriatric Medicine.  Dr. Duque's primary research interests include elucidating the mechanisms and potential new treatments for age-related bone loss, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, osteosarcopenia, and frailty.  

Dr. Duque will speak about the risk of falls in seniors with dementia, and how best to prevent them.

Original air date: March 22, 2023. 

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care. 

Wendy Weidner is Head of Research and Publications for Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI). She leads the development and growth of ADI’s global research portfolio in partnership with academic institutions and Alzheimer associations for many projects including diagnosis, dementia care pathways, interventions, clinical trials, epidemiology, and inclusion and diversity. Ms Weidner also leads ADI publications, including the World Alzheimer Report and From Plan to Impact – a yearly report that tracks the progress of the Global Action Plan on Dementia. She also coordinates and works alongside ADI’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel, a diverse group of dementia specialists who provide expert advice to ADI.

Ms Weidner will discuss how dementia is understood in different cultures around the world, and the implications that can have on diagnosis and treatment.

Air date: 8 March 2023

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

Isabelle Gélinas, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University.  She is also a researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation in Montreal and a member of the Candrive Research Team, interested in driving in the elderly. She developed the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD), a measure of functional abilities in activities of daily living, which is used clinically and in clinical trials internationally. She is also interested in issues related to different forms of transportation mobility, including driving, to enable community participation for adults with disability and older adults. Prof. Gélinas developed a web-based graduate certificate program on driving rehabilitation.

Prof. Gélinas will speak about driving and dementia and will identify when it is time to stop.

This Webcast is also available in French.

Air date: February 22, 2023

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

Isabelle Gélinas, Ph. D., est professeure agrégée et directrice des programmes d’études supérieures à l’École de physiothérapie et d’ergothérapie de l’Université McGill. Elle est aussi chercheuse au Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation de Montréal et membre de l’équipe de recherche Candrive, qui s’intéresse à la conduite automobile chez les personnes âgées. Elle a développé l’Échelle d’évaluation de l’incapacité fonctionnelle dans la démence (DAD), un outil d’appréciation des habiletés fonctionnelles dans les activités de la vie quotidienne, utilisé en pratique clinique ainsi que dans des essais cliniques à travers le monde. Elle s’intéresse également aux questions liées aux différentes formes de mobilité dans les transports, dont la conduite automobile, pour permettre la participation citoyenne des adultes handicapés et des personnes âgées. La professeure Gélinas a élaboré un programme de certificat d’études supérieures en ligne sur la réadaptation à la conduite automobile.

La Pre Gélinas parlera de la conduite automobile et de la démence, et indiquera à quel moment il est temps d’arrêter.

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McGill à vos côtés est parrainé par le programme Engagement communautaire Amelia Saputo pour les soins de la démence.

Nutrition and Dementia

Guylaine Ferland, PhD, is a professor of nutrition at Université de Montréal and a scientist at the Research Centre of the Montreal Heart Institute. Dr. Ferland conducts research on the general role of nutrition in cognitive health during aging. She is an expert in vitamin K metabolism and her team has made significant contributions to understanding the role of this nutrient in brain function and cognition.

She will speak about nutrition and dementia, including how to ensure proper nutrition for people living with dementia, and what we know about the benefits of doing so.

Air date: December 14, 2022

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

Bassam Khoury, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology at McGill University. He is a clinical psychologist specializing in mindfulness-based treatments. He and his team at the McGill Mindfulness Research Lab conduct research on advancing the theory, research, and applications of mindfulness and compassion.

Prof. Khoury will speak about mindfulness and compassion, and how those practices can help reduce stress and anxiety for caregivers.

Air date: November 16, 2022

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

Michael Wiseman, DDS, is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at McGill University who has published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on geriatric dentistry. He has a private practice in Côte Saint-Luc and is on staff at several Montreal hospitals, including Mount Sinai, St. Mary’s and Ste. Anne’s.

Dr. Wiseman will speak about the importance of maintaining oral health throughout life, including for those living with dementia and other terminal diseases.

Original Air Date: November 2, 2022

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.

Joanne Besner, BSW, MBA, PPCC, and caregiver, received her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Business Administration from McGill University, and a Professional Coaching designation from the John Molson Executive Centre at Concordia University. Ms. Besner coaches and facilitates workshops for health care professionals and community organizations, including the McGill University School of Social Work, where she is also an internship liaison supervisor. Her 35-year career in Quebec community health care spans many roles including frontline social work, clinical supervisor, manager, researcher and trainer.

Ms. Besner will talk about conflicts that can occur between caregivers and family members when looking after a person living with dementia or other illnesses.  She will provide strategies to resolve conflicts in a healthy way.

Original air date: October 19, 2022.

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McGill Cares is supported by the Amelia Saputo Community Outreach for Dementia Care.