Who we are…
The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is a charitable foundation tackling some of the biggest issues facing an aging population. By advancing research and driving innovation, we push the envelope to find and share solutions that make a difference. We bring together experts and those with lived experience to explore new ways of doing things. That’s how we developed this program—collaborating with people living with dementia, care partners, youth, researchers, and community members.
Course introduction
Direct Link: Course Introduction
Dr. Carrie McAiney, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging - Schlegel Research Chair in Dementia and Scientific Director of the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program, provides an introduction to the LIVING the dementia journey for youth course.
What is LIVING the dementia journey for young adults about?
By completing this program, you will have a better understanding of what dementia is, as well as different perspectives and impacts of living with dementia. You will also gain practical tools to help you confidently interact with older adults living with dementia.
This program is an adaptation of the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program’s “LIVING the Dementia Journey” which is an award-winning program for those who support people living with dementia. This program was designed with input from youth and people living with dementia to create a course that is based on current research and the personal experiences of people living with dementia, family members, and professionals. In designing this course, we included practical and relevant information that can be applied in different aspects of life— in a co-op or volunteer position, in future employment, in the community, or in your personal life.
What will I learn?
This course is divided into six modules that will teach you about:
- Module 1: Understanding dementia, including symptoms and ways to promote brain health
- Module 2: Reducing stigma associated with aging and dementia
- Module 3: Enhancing wellbeing for people living with dementia and their care partners
- Module 4: Improving communication with people living with dementia
- Module 5: Exploring how and why people living with dementia may express themselves in different ways
- Module 6: Discovering learning opportunities, volunteer positions, and career paths that you may wish to explore to support people living with dementia.
As you work through the modules, you will have the opportunity to hear from people living with dementia as they share their experiences. You will also be able to share your own reflections on the material and to participate in interactive activities to help you better understand and apply the course content to your own life.
By the end of this course, we hope that you will have a better understanding of dementia and greater insight into life from the perspective of people living with dementia.
Acknowledgements
The adaptation of the LIVING the Dementia Journey program for youth was funded by the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program.
