Description:
This transformative webinar will delve into the vital topic of inclusive authorship and the involvement of older adults and caregivers in research. This dynamic session addresses the challenges and barriers in recognizing their contributions as co-authors and partners, fostering a more equitable and representative research landscape. The webinar will include a relaxed roundtable talk with a distinguished panel of advocates and experts to share their insights and experiences. They will shed light on the importance of embracing diversity in co-authorship and research partnership. We will explore ways to promote meaningful collaborations and amplify older adults and caregivers as partners in your research from publications to commercialization.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the significance of inclusive authorship and partnerships with older adults and caregivers in AgeTech research.
- Identify challenges that hinder recognizing older adults and caregiver co-authors and research partners, and how to overcome them.
- Gain practical insights on promoting collaboration with older adults and caregiver partners throughout the research process.
Speakers:
Jim Mann, Dementia Advocate, Alzheimer Society of B.C.
Jim Mann is a researcher, author, and a volunteer advocate. Following a 25-year career with Canadian Airlines/CP Air and a second career consulting, Jim was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 58 and is now a strong Alzheimer’s Advocate. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including an honorary Doctorate of Law degree in 2020 from the University of British Columbia. Jim Mann has also been described as one of the single most influential people in Canada for reducing the stigma of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and for promoting an inclusive society in which persons with dementia can make an active and meaningful contribution. He has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his volunteer service to the community. Jim continues to ‘advocate to educate,’ addressing such issues as living with purpose with dementia, awareness, stigma, and health-care worker education.
Dr. Olive Bryanton, Older Adult Advocate, AGE-WELL OACAC Member
Dr. Olive Bryanton (Hampshire, PEI) joined OACAC in 2018. As an educator and passionate advocate for older adults, Dr. Bryanton was instrumental in establishing the first multi-purpose Seniors Centre on PEI, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this summer. She was also instrumental in establishing the Seniors College, affiliated with the University of Prince Edward Island and served as the first president. In 2000, Dr. Bryanton received an Honorary Degree from the University of Prince Edward Island for her advocacy work with older adults and lifelong learning in 2012. Dr. Bryanton was awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Federal Minister of State for Seniors Hon, Alice Wong, for provincially and federally contributing to seniors. In 2017, Dr. Bryanton was appointed by the Minister of Health PEI to serve as an executive advisor for developing the recent Seniors Health and Wellness Strategy for Prince Edward Island. She is currently a lifelong learner and defended her PhD in 2018. She also received the Order of Prince Edward Island in 2021 and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal in 2022. In addition, in December 2022 she was appointed to the National Seniors Council and the International Longevity Centre as an Ambassador in 2023. Currently, she is working on a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Prince Edward Island under the supervision of Dr. William Montelpare.
Ron Beleno, Caregiver and Dementia Advocate, AGE-WELL OACAC Co-Chair
Ron Beleno is the Co-Chair of AGE-WELL’s Older Adult and Caregiver Advisory Committee and received their Honorary Fellow Award for 2020. He is an active advocate for dementia, caregiving, aging, and research communities. Being a caregiver to his father, who lived with Alzheimer’s for 10+ years to age in place at home until January 2018, Mr. Beleno utilized technology, community, and access to research to support his family’s life to live well and as best as possible. In recent years, Mr. Beleno has been called upon to do presentations across Canada and Internationally for Alzheimer’s Societies, communities, police, and researchers to share his knowledge on living safely with dementia, caregiving strategies, technology innovation in health care, and patient engagement with research and industry. He is an advisor and presenter for groups such as the Alzheimer and Dementia Societies across Canada, a Coach with Healthcare Excellence Canada, a Patient and Family Advisory Member with the Toronto Dementia Research Alliance, a Board Member with the Ontario Strategy in Patient-Oriented Research Unit (a Provincial SPOR) and other numerous organizations.
Moderator: Dr. Josephine McMurray, Associate Scientific Director, AGE-WELL
Dr. Josephine McMurray, PhD, MBA, MRT, is an Associate Professor at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University, in the Business Technology Management Program, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at Western University. Dr. McMurray’s PhD in Health Studies & Gerontology from the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo, focused on system performance measurement using electronic medical record adoption. She has been an AGE-WELL co-investigator and project lead since 2014 and has taught in the AGE-WELL HQP Summer Institute since 2016. Dr. McMurray’s research is focused on issues at the intersection of healthcare, technology & management and her current grants explore the implementation of geo-location technologies in long-term care, employers’ perspectives on the use of technology to accommodate employees diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment & dementia, and the use of AI in disability management. Prior to entering academia, Dr. McMurray was employed as a marketing manager for a large multi-national and previously was Director of Health Services at the University of Guelph. As principal in her consultancy thinking360, Dr. McMurray has provided consulting services in higher education and healthcare.
Dr. McMurray has been a Project Lead on an AGE-WELL Core Research Project in both Cycle 1 (2015-2020) and Cycle 2 (2020-2023). She has been a faculty member of AGE-WELL’s Summer Institute since 2016.