Mary Austrom

A Brock alumna and expert in the field of aging and Alzheimer Disease (AD) will return to the University as a guest speaker on March 3.

Mary G. Austrom, Brock’s 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award winner, will present the Faculty of Social Sciences Alumni Lecture.

Austrom will speak on “Caring for the Caregiver: Alzheimer Disease And Its Impact On The Family.”

“The Faculty of Social Sciences is very honoured to be hosting Dr. Austrom’s presentation at Brock. She is a former Brock undergraduate student who has built a career completing world-class research into Alzheimer Disease,” said Tom Dunk, Dean of Social Sciences.

“It is wonderful that she is able to return to Brock to share her knowledge with both the Brock community and the broader community in the Niagara Region.”

The event is at 7 p.m. in room 215 of the Academic South Building, located opposite Health Services and Campus Security. Admission is free and the public is welcome, but those attending should RSVP to tgeoffroy@brocku.ca by Feb. 25.

Since receiving her BEd and BA from Brock in 1980 and 1981 respectively, Austrom has published more than 100 articles, chapters and abstracts on AD. At the Indiana University School of Medicine, she is the first and only endowed professor for Alzheimer education in the world, receiving the Wesley O. Martin endowment in 2006.

Her work involves non-pharmacological interventions for AD patients and their caregivers. She delivers workshops for families and staff at long-term care homes. In addition to professional conferences, she has given hundreds of presentations to families, professional caregivers and support groups across North America.

Her work is becoming increasingly vital. At the turn of the last century, about four per cent of the U.S. population was over 65 years of age. Today, seniors account for 13 per cent of the population, Austrom says. It will be more than 20 per cent by 2030.

After leaving Brock, Austrom earned master’s and doctoral degrees from York University in 1983 and 1989 respectively. In 1990, she joined Indiana University, where she is professor of Clinical Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry and the director of the Education Core at the Indian Alzheimer Disease Center.

“(The) opportunities that Brock gave students prepared me for graduate work and for my academic career,” she said in an interview with Surgite, Brock’s alumni magazine.

Austrom admitted she didn’t have a master plan for her career and education.

“Somehow,” she said, “I’ve cobbled together this great career.”