Events
A place to share the moments we’re proud of—events, milestones, and celebrations from our work together on dementia and aging.
Beautiful Day for the Summery Co-Lab Picnic
Last week, the Dementia Action Co-Lab took advantage of Victoria’s beautiful summer weather to gather for a picnic on the University of Victoria’s picturesque quad. The afternoon brought together all the people and partners who contribute to the Co-Lab’s work, including members of our research team, postdoctoral fellows, colleagues from the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health and UVic’s Faculty of Health and research services, international Mitacs interns, advocates with lived experience of dementia, and members of a Chinese community advisory committee collaborating with us on a special project focused on supporting people living with dementia in their community.
It was a wonderful opportunity to step away from our usual meetings and projects and simply spend time together — sharing good food, great conversation, plenty of laughter, and a sense of camaraderie during one of the loveliest times of year on campus.
The picnic gave us a chance to celebrate the people behind the work and reflect on how much we accomplish through collaboration. We offered a special farewell to Derrick Otieno, a Mitacs intern from Germany who has been working with the Co-Lab the past few months and is returning home this week. We were grateful for the opportunity to thank Derrick for his contributions and wish him well on his next adventure.
Most of all, the afternoon was a chance to appreciate the relationships that make our work possible. Bringing together researchers, staff, students, community advisors, and people with lived experience reminded us that the strength of the Dementia Action Co-Lab lies not only in the work we do, but in the community we build together.
Defy Dementia on the Road
Earlier this July, Defy Dementia on the Road came to Victoria, bringing together a diverse audience of health care professionals, researchers, community members, students, and people with lived experience of dementia for an afternoon of learning, conversation, and connection. Co-hosted by Jay Ingram and Dr. Allison Sekuler, President and Chief Scientist of Baycrest Academy for Research & Education and the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, the event explored the latest research on modifiable dementia risk factors while highlighting the importance of lived experience in shaping our understanding of dementia.
Jay and Allison led the afternoon with warmth, humour, and insight, creating an engaging atmosphere for a thoughtful panel discussion and interactive audience Q&A. Panelists Dr. Alex Henri-Bhargava, Dr. Stuart McDonald, Dr. Mariko Sakamoto, and Joe Ross and Amy Cameron shared their expertise and perspectives, prompting rich conversations about brain health, dementia prevention, and living well with dementia.
Emergency Department Workshop:
This spring, University of Victoria researchers Dr. Mariko Sakamoto and Dr. Jae-Yung Kwon partnered with Island Health to host another community engagement workshop looking at improving care for older adults in emergency departments. The June 15th event at Comox Golf Course in the Comox Valley featured a keynote address from Emergency Department Transition Nurses Jennifer Thompson and Lindsay Thibeault; research findings on the kinds of interventions that have been tried so far; and guided small-group discussions geared at where we go from here. Health care professionals, people with lived experience, patient partners, community leaders, Indigenous elders, and staff from UVic and Island Health shared perspectives and ideas with curiosity and compassion.
Watch for a report with highlights from the workshop coming soon!
Eldercare Speaker Series:
This spring, the Dementia Action Co-Lab was featured as part of the Eldercare Foundation’s speaker series at the Yakimovich Centre in Victoria.
On May 28, Dr. Jae-Yung Kwon and Dr. Mariko Sakamoto shared their research exploring better ways to improve emergency department care for older adults, highlighting opportunities to enhance experiences and outcomes for patients and families.
Then, on June 11, Dr. Sakamoto presented insights from a national research project she co-leads focused on developing meaningful quality-of-life supports for people living with dementia from underserved ethnocultural communities across Canada. Her presentation highlighted the importance of culturally responsive approaches to dementia care and support.
UVic Hosts GNABC Conference this May:
The Gerontological Nurses Association of BC’s 2026 Conference, “Mobilizing Strengths in Gerontological Nursing” was held at UVic’s University Club on May 9th. This hybrid event featured special presenters like Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch on Climate Change, Darryl Quantz on Sustainable Health Practices, and Dr. Bernie Pauly laying out their managed alcohol program research.
Nursing student Alyssa De Medeiros also presented her recent research on older adults in the emergency department. The event was sponsored by the Alzheimer Society of BC & Yukon, the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health, and the Eldercare Foundation. Thanks to everyone who attended and made the day so special!
Dementia-Inclusive Guidebook for Comox Valley:
This past spring, we published a beautiful new guidebook and accompanying poster promoting dementia inclusivity in businesses throughout the Comox Valley. Informed by local people with lived experience, the resources were researched and co-designed by Emily Carr University’s Health Design Lab in partnership with Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation and UVic’s CARING Dementia Collaborative.
The project began with the question, “How might we foster a dementia-friendly community in the Comox Valley through education and training for local businesses?”
The result was a thoughtful, practical guide that highlights inclusive ways to engage with community members living with dementia, along with strategies for creating more welcoming and accessible business spaces. The guidebook is being used to support education sessions and workshops for businesses, while also sparking broader conversations about dementia inclusivity. The poster, which provides the public with tips for interacting with people living with dementia, is available for display in store windows or check-out counters. Explore the guidebook here and learn more about the research and co-design process here.
Dementia Action Co-Lab Launch Event:
November 28th, 2025
The official launch of the Dementia Action Co-Lab at UVic was a success! On November 28th, 2025, a group of people with lived experience, researchers, trainees, and representatives from Island Health and the Alzheimer Society of B.C. came together to collaborate on a grant submission focused on understanding what people living with dementia need from their communities to live well as they move along their dementia journey.
Launch Event, November 28
IALH Staff at the Dementia Action Co-Lab Launch
This “Co-Lab” session marked the first of what we hope will turn into many more sessions as part of the lab’s commitment to community-based participatory research.
The group explored key questions related to how needs and priorities shift as a person moves through their dementia journey, what the community might need to consider to ensure good quality of life and meaningful connection, and how the lab’s research could best facilitate this.
The hybrid event, held both in-person at the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health and online via zoom, drew folks from all over the lower mainland, and from many different communities around Southern Vancouver Island. The room was bursting with a shared passion for advocacy, and a strong sense of possibility.
Research lab staff would like to thank everyone who contributed to this successful event. We look forward to more insightful discussions about fostering dementia-inclusivity more broadly.
Call to Mind’s “Becoming a Granddaughter Again” wins Silver at the Signal Awards!
Ashley Sharma’s episode ‘Becoming a Granddaughter Again’—featuring her nani, Devki—just won Silver at the Signal Awards in the Activism, Public Service & Social Impact category!
Ashley’s story was recorded with her grandmother in their multi-generational home in Abbotsford, BC for the second season of the podcast “Call to Mind: Audio Diaries of Love and Memory Loss.” It tells a story about racism and gaps in the healthcare system, and the urgent need for human-centred and culturally sensitive healthcare supports for people with dementia.
It’s also an emotional story about the messy humanness of loving and caring for someone with advanced memory loss, and how a young woman finds her way back to being a loving granddaughter again when she becomes lost in the role of caregiver.
The podcast is part of a bigger research project led by Dr. Mariko Sakamoto, assistant professor of nursing at the University of Victoria. Sakamoto hosts the podcast’s second season of intimate stories recorded by spouses, children and grandchildren journeying alongside a loved one living with dementia.
“This year’s Signal Award winners illuminate how audio is shaping discourse. From investigative work that exposes truth, to personal essays that make the intimate universal, and cultural commentary that reframes how we see the world — this year’s winners remind us why podcasting has become not just relevant, but essential.
This year’s winners represent an extraordinary range of voices, genres, and production styles, underscoring the diversity and creative range that define today’s podcast landscape.
With a growing international cohort of creators and submissions from the U.K., Australia, Canada, Germany, Qatar, and beyond, the Signal Awards Winners reflect not just individual achievements, but the maturation of podcasting itself as a mode of creative expression.”
~Jemma Rose Brown, General Manager of The Signal Awards.
Please take 30 quiet minutes to listen to Ashley’s episode and share it with someone you love.
We’d love to hear from you. Share your feedback via our online form or write to us at calltomindpodcast@UVic.ca.
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