After inclement weather put Demystifying Dementia on hold last fall, the much-anticipated Brock event has been rescheduled for later this month.

The much-anticipated Brock panel has been rescheduled for Thursday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m. in Sean O’Sullivan Theatre.

Co-hosted by Brock University’s Centre for Lifespan Development Research and the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Demystifying Dementia will help raise awareness about the increasing prevalence of dementia in Niagara and the many agencies and partners across the region that have taken on the roles of education, prevention, intervention and research targeting memory-related issues.

The event will see Lynn McCleary, Associate Professor of Nursing, explain what dementia is, why we shouldn’t assume that it is a normal part of aging, and how, through education, stigmas may be broken down.

“I hope this panel will become a platform for people to be able to talk with each other about their symptoms and how to have a good life with dementia,” McCleary says. “Unfortunately, many are afraid to tell someone they are having difficulty. We hope to shift this perspective.”

McCleary and Recreation and Leisure Studies Associate Professor Colleen Whyte will join a panel of representatives from the community to provide an overview of recent and ongoing Brock research as well as resources available in Niagara.

Topics will include: the prevalence of dementia and how the likelihood of it developing increases with age, diagnosis and transitions in care. Findings from research will also highlight how friendships are sustained for people living with dementia, as well as the role of music among older adults with dementia.

Panel members will also include: Melanie Elliott (MA ’17), Research Associate with Methologica Inc.; Naomi O’Brien, Respite Services Manager with Niagara Region’s Community Programs for Seniors; and Jessica Pace, Education Co-ordinator with the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region.

What: Demystifying Dementia — Lessons from research and community programming
Who: The event is open to anyone interested in learning more about dementia, including the general public, policy-makers, organizations, educators and practitioners
When: Thursday, Jan. 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Brock University, Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines.

The event is free and open to the public, but online RSVP through brockdementiapanel2019.eventbrite.ca is required as space is limited. Free parking is available in Lot D.

For those unable to attend, the event will be livestreamed online.