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Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging

Town Hall on Frailty and Resilience in an Aging Alberta

Tuesday, June 11 from noon – 4:15 pm

University of Calgary’s Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning
434 Collegiate Boulevard NW
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Noon – 1:00 pm     Registration and complimentary lunch 1:00 – 2:00 pm     Welcome and keynote presentations by Dr. John Muscedere, Scientific Director and CEO of the CFN,
and Dr. James Silvius Provincial Medical Director, Seniors Health and Senior Medical Director,
Seniors Health SCN, followed by Q&A. See speaker's bios below. 2:00 – 2:45 pm         Panel: Views from the Community – diverse perspectives shared by older adults and caregivers, followed by Q&A. See panelist bios below. 2:45 – 3:15 pm    Research poster session and informal networking opportunity. See poster titles and presenters below. 3:15 – 4:00 pm  Panel: Advancing our Understandings – expert researchers discuss the current state of knowledge on frailty and resilience within the Alberta context, followed by Q&A. See panelist bios below. 4:00 – 4:15 pm   Closing remarks
Presenter Poster Title Atkins, Marlis Collaborating to make meals matter using mealtime strategies Bent, Haley Helping dementia proxy-decision makers during transitions through illness: how can understanding frailty and frailty scores help? Bharwani, Alia A meta-study of older adults’ experiences of autonomy, independence, and control in relation to physical activity participation Brierly, Meaghan Transforming primary health care for older Canadians Gillis, Chelsia The M Word: A qualitative study on patient perceptions of malnutrition Guo, Selynne Perceptions of frailty Harasym, Patricia Family and palliative care physicians’ perceived barriers, facilitators and strategies to improve supportive care at end of life for older adults with frailty in long term care: a qualitative descriptive study McMillan, Jacqueline Calculating a frailty index in older persons living with HIV/AIDS Mele, Bria and Merrikh, Daria

Detecting apathy in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A systematic review

Michalchuk, Quentin The interplay between Parkinson’s disease and frailty: A scoping review Mirhosseini, Noush Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) for patients with life limiting illnesses in the community setting Wong, Britney Detecting depression in those with mild cognitive impairment

Keynote presenters

Dr. John Muscedere 

Dr. John Muscedere

Dr. John Muscedere was appointed Scientific Director of Canadian Frailty Network, effective August 1, 2013. He has been involved with CFN since its inception, having participated in the Network’s initial proposal for Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) funding, as well as serving as Chair of the CFN Knowledge Translation Committee in its first year. He is an intensivist at Kingston General Hospital (KGH), and Professor of Critical Care Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University. He is also the Research Director of the Critical Care Program at Queen’s and KGH. Dr. Muscedere is Co-Chair of the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG) Knowledge Translation Committee. John is an accomplished critical care researcher whose primary research interests include nosocomial infections, clinical practice guidelines, knowledge translation and critical care outcomes. He has led or participated in the development of many national and international clinical practice guidelines which have guided critical care practice including guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ventilator associated pneumonia, hypothermia post cardiac arrest, calcium channel blocker poisoning and sepsis.  As an intensivist, he has first-hand knowledge of caring for critically ill frail older adults both in academic and community settings. Dr. Muscedere has a keen interest in the design of healthcare systems to optimize patient centered outcomes. He has participated in the redesign of the Ontario provincial critical care system including serving as the regional critical care lead for the South East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) for 10 years.

Dr. James Silvius 

Dr. James Silvius 

Dr. James Silvius is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Calgary.  He has held numerous leadership positions over his career including Division Head, Geriatric Medicine, University of Calgary; Medical Director, Pharmacy Services at Alberta Health Services; and most recently a combined role of Provincial Medical Director, Seniors Health and Senior Medical Director, Seniors Health Strategic Clinical Network.  External to AHS he is the current Vice-Chair of the Canadian Drug Expert Committee, CADTH. Other interests include being a co-founder of the Canadian Deprescribing Network (CaDEN), participation in TREC and the DementiaNet, and distance health care delivery.  He has led the development of medical assistance in dying as a service on behalf of AHS. He maintains a clinical practice in geriatrics at Rockyview General Hospital.


Panelists: Views from the Community

Ron Freckleton

Ron Freckleton

Ron Freckleton was born in the UK in January 1933. He grew up in Liverpool, where he met and married his wife Joan. The pair managed stores for the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI), the official trading organization for the British Armed Forces. In 1973, Ron and Joan emigrated to Canada, where they took sales jobs. Eventually Ron became Managing Director of a division of Associated Grocers. At the age of 54, he began his own marketing company. Ron's wife Joan developed dementia later in life, and Ron became her full time caregiver. They were able to remain in their home until the final few months of Joan's illness, at which time she moved into the Intercare Chinook Care Centre, with Ron remaining by her side. Shortly after Joan's passing, Ron moved into the Trinity Lodge, where he continues to live independently, writing, gardening, and swimming regularly. In his 84th year, Ron published a book titled "Our Time to Say Goodbye", celebrating his life with Joan and reflecting on his experiences as a caregiver. All proceeds, which have totalled over $12,000 to date, are donated to the Alzheimer's Society of Calgary. Ron also raises funds for the Alzheimer's Society through his "Adopt a Dahlia" program at Trinity Lodge.

Margie Miller

Margie Miller

Margie Miller is a retired Registered Nurse, who spent her career working in Surgery, Palliative Care, and Emergency departments in hospitals in Central Alberta. She is also a ranch wife, mother of four, and grandmother of ten. Margie remains involved with Alberta Health Services as a Family Advisor for the Seniors Health Strategic Clinical Network. She was an active advocate for her aged mother during her last years, which were spent in a rural nursing home, as well as for her husband's mother, who aged in her rural home until her final days. Margie remains physically active, still horseback riding, gardening, and involved with family, community, and church congregation. She sings in two women’s choruses that actively perform in the community.

Elder Doreen Spence

Elder Doreen Spence

Elder Doreen Spence was born in the Cree Nation of Saddle Lake in Northern Alberta, and was raised by two Traditional Cree Elders, her grandparents. Their teachings of love, kindness, humanity, language, and ethics shaped her childhood and helped Doreen to become the determined, resilient woman that she would need to be. In 1959, Doreen became one of the first Indigenous women to obtain a Practical Nursing Certificate, leading her to a nursing career that spanned over 40 years. Throughout her career she volunteered in numerous initiatives with the police force, school systems, and hospitals to preserve traditions and ensure a promising future for the community. She received an honorary Bachelor of Nursing degree from Mount Royal University in 2017. Doreen was instrumental in developing the Calgary Urban Aboriginal Initiative, a grassroots organization providing a foundation for the city to discuss human rights issues facing the Indigenous community and to investigate possible solutions. Following in her grandparents’ footsteps, Doreen is an internationally-respected traditional Cree Elder. Her teachings and traditional healing practice have led her around the world. She has also been a strong advocate for human rights and was invited to sit as a committee member on the working group that developed the draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The committee met over a twenty-year period to craft the declaration, eventually leading it to adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. On May 10, 2016, the declaration was officially adopted by Canada. Doreen was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.


Panelists: Advancing our Understandings

Dr. Kirsten Fiest

Dr. Kirsten Fiest

Dr. Kirsten Fiest is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Community Health Sciences, & Psychiatry at the University of Calgary and the Director of Research & Innovation in the Department of Critical Care Medicine. Her research program focuses on engaging critically ill patients and family members in research and care beyond the bedside.

Dr. Jessica Simon

Dr. Jessica Simon

Dr. Jessica Simon is Associate professor and Division head for Palliative Medicine, Department of Oncology at the University of Calgary. She is the Physician Consultant for Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care, in the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services, a post she has held for 8 years. She also co-leads two provincial research programs, one studying the implementation of an Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care Policy in Alberta (www.acpcrio.org) and the other about the integration of an early palliative approach to care with advanced cancer, “Palliative Care Early and Systematic: Impact on patient and health system outcomes” ( www.pacesproject.ca).

Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc

Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc

Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc is an academic geriatrician. She is currently Department of Medicine Deputy Head (Academic), Geriatric Medicine Division Head and Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her major research interests involve the use of knowledge translation (KT) to improve the care provided to older adults. She is the University of Calgary Brenda Strafford Foundation Chair in Geriatric Medicine, and also KT Committee Chair of the Canadian Frailty Network. She is currently the Medical Director for Specialized Geriatric Services, AHS Calgary zone. Dr. Holroyd-Leduc will be discussing the EASE Study: Elder Friendly Approaches to the Surgical Environment on behalf of primary investigator, Dr. Rachel Khadaroo.


Town Hall on Frailty and Resilience in an Aging Alberta with Dr. John Muscedere and Dr. Jim Silvius

In order to encourage diverse perspectives, we are pleased to provide this opportunity to participate in our Town Hall forum at no cost to attendees. Please forward to others in your network who may be interested. Register Now

For any questions about this event, please contact Ann Toohey, Scientific Coordinator of the Centre on Aging:
403-210-7208 or amtoohey@ucalgary.ca.