Upcoming webinar series: Health, wellness and dementia
People living with dementia may face various challenges that could prevent them from maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To address some of these challenges, we are hosting a webinar series in May, focusing on health and wellness in relation to dementia.
People living with dementia may face various challenges that could prevent them from maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To address some of these challenges, we are hosting a webinar series in May, focusing on health and wellness in relation to dementia.
In this webinar series, participants will have an opportunity to hear from guest speakers sharing their expertise on topics including nutrition, dental care and physical activities.
“We hope the information shared in this webinar series can prepare families and care partners ahead of time,” says Sarah Eveneshen, Project Manager, Provincial Programs and Services at the Alzheimer Society of B.C. “When they encounter situations related to oral care or regulating appetite, they are well-equipped to respond to the needs.”
The webinar series is also beneficial for someone who lives with dementia, providing opportunities for them to learn what to expect as their diseases progresses. While they are able to exercise self-care, they can be more confident and experience a greater sense of well-being.
Click on the links below to watch our on-demand education sessions:
Focus on behaviour: Bathing and hygiene - watch now
Learn about the impact of dementia on brain function, common bathing and hygiene challenges, and effective strategies to maintain a successful routine.
Living well with dementia through nutrition with Dr. Heather Keller - watch now
Learn about the strategies for managing eating challenges and improving the mealtime experience of those affected by dementia as the disease progresses.
Dental care and dementia with Dr. Nicholas Tong - watch now
Discuss the importance of dental care early in the dementia journey and learn what to expect regarding dental care as the disease progresses. Tools and strategies will be shared to help support dental health among people living with dementia.
Physical activity and dementia with Dr. Joanie Sims-Gould - watch now
Discuss the importance of physical activity on dementia and what is meant by “physical activity” (spandex not necessary!)
Activities for warmer weather - watch now
Get inspired by meaningful activities created for people living with dementia during the warmer months. Learn how to overcome barriers and adapt activities, while incorporating them into a daily routine for improved health and well-being.
About our guest speakers
Dr. Heather Keller
Dr. Heather Keller is the Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition & Aging at the University of Waterloo and scientist with Agri-food for Healthy Aging. Research programs cross the continuum of care and are focused on improving the nutritional status and food intake of older adults. As Co-Chair of the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF), Heather leads an interprofessional team mandated to promote the prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition in Canada. Current projects include More-2-Eat, an implementation project designed to advance nutrition care practices in hospitals. Heather also leads the Making the Most of Mealtimes (M3) research group and a recently completed prevalence study identifies multifactorial determinants of food intake in long-term care. As Chair of the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF), she leads an interprofessional team focused on improving the identification and treatment of malnutrition in the acute care setting.
Dr. Nicholas Tong
Dr. Nicholas Tong is an Assistant Professor of Teaching at The University of British Columbia Faculty of Dentistry in the Division of Prosthodontics and Dental Geriatrics. He is the Program Director for the hospital based UBC General Practice Residency. Dr. Tong graduated with BHSc degree from McMaster University in 2010, a DDS degree from the University of Toronto in 2014, a GPR certificate from the University of Alberta Hospital in 2015, and a MSc (Craniofacial Science) degree from UBC in 2019. He has been a staff dentist with the UBC Geriatric Dentistry Program since 2015, treating frail and functionally dependent patients in long-term care. Dr. Tong is a member of the Geriatric Dentistry Committee with the British Columbia Dental Association, a board member with the American Society of Geriatric Dentistry, and a Fellow with the Special Care Dentistry Association.
Dr. Joanie Sims-Gould
Dr. Joanie Sims Gould is a Principal Scientist of the Active Aging Research Team, a Health Promotion Consultant and a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia. The goal of Joanie’s work, simply speaking is to “add life to the later years”. With the Active Aging Research team she; i) designs, implements and evaluates scale-up of flexible health promoting interventions (e.g. Choose to Move) for older adults, adapted to population and setting, ii) assesses factors that influence older adult health indicators (mobility, social connectedness and mental health (e.g. loneliness), iii) evaluates translation of research findings for different groups to optimize impact. Joanie works closely with a broad range of partner groups that span B.C. and beyond. As a registered social worker, Joanie is sensitized to overriding issues of power, privilege and inequity and applies a sex and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) approach to her work.
Click here for upcoming webinars. Stay in touch with us with other programs and education sessions by subscribing to our First Link® bulletins.
For any questions about Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, call our First Link® Dementia Helpline.