WHAT HAPPENED IN "THE GAP" 2022
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE
We put out Phase One of our Developmental Evaluation report.
This document summarized what we learned from our research about how to engage people with dementia more effectively in community; it looked at where there was room for growth, and offered suggestions on how these wonderful community assets could be leveraged to trigger policy changes on a regional and national level.
January also marked the kickoff of SOUNDBYTES, our social media series featuring storyboard excerpts from some of the wonderful discussions we’ve had with people with dementia that really underscore what it’s like to live with dementia. The series unpacks common assumptions about dementia, and explores how community can be more inclusive, understanding, and responsive. The campaign has enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive response and is going strong across multiple platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Westside Seniors Hub volunteers have been hard at work increasing the impact of Dementia Ventures.
They identified related local initiatives with whom they could collaborate. Groups like BC Centre for Palliative Care, Canadian Centre for Elder Law, Hey Neighbour Collective, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and the SFU Gerontology Research Centre were included.
They identified broader themes that would embrace more WSH partners in action-oriented initiatives relevant for people with dementia. These themes included transportation (making better use of passenger vans, options to increase accessibility) and climate change and emergency preparedness. WSH Council applied for City funding to develop plans to inform and assist isolated seniors about options available to them in case of emergency. They also attended City, Health Authority, and Provincial webinars to learn about guidelines and resources for developing resilient neighbourhoods and community responses.
They met with Vancouver Foundation and McConnell Foundation representatives to explore potential funding opportunities.
Westside Seniors Hub volunteers were also hard at work doing community outreach. They approached Alzheimer Society of BC’s Dementia-Friendly Communities about helping to expand distribution of Hubbytes and catalyzed a discussion about using the PHAC-funded Alzheimer Society of Canada 75-minute online tutorials together with the Flipping Stigma toolkit, piloting it with a Vancouver Public Library branch.
They met with the City of Vancouver 2022 Seniors Advisory Committee advocating revisions of the City’s Age-Friendly Communities guidelines as well as an initiative to develop more accessible transportation options, and funding a Seniors Planner position in the 2023 budget. Council President Mary Jane MacLennan spoke as part of a panel at the United Way Lower Mainland’s Provincial Summit on Aging in April and had a follow-up meeting with Vancouver Director of Cycling Without Age to advocate for expansion of their rides on the west side. The Hub also set up booths and participated in several local outdoor events including the Kitsilano Literacy Fair, and the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House street markets, distributing Dementia Ventures brochures, Soundbytes postcards, and chatting with people about dementia-friendly communities, social isolation, and stigma.
Round Two of the Implementation Fund went out.
In addition to our original partners, we gained three new Hub Partners including Pacific Spirit United Church, Kits Community Centre, and West Point Grey United Church.
Thunder Bay's BCP team spent the spring reviewing and summarizing the incredible Beacon *shining light on dementia series produced by Pacific Spirit United Church in Vancouver. The idea was to give Ontario-based churches a quick overview of the project so they'd know if it was right for their programming.
The team also undertook an extensive Journey Mapping project in partnership with the Northwest Dementia Working Group. They gathered at the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health with a variety of tools like post-it notes, craft paper, scissors, tape, and photographs, to map out past events and important people who'd contributed along the way. The idea was to get a sense for how far they'd come, and how far they could go moving forward into future projects.
Lakehead also funded several Dementia Dialogue podcast episodes and has another one in the works airing soon. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES!
In July, the BCP team organized a bowling event for the community at Mario's Bowl, a bustling joint with five pin, ten pin, and even "cosmic" bowling options. There were eleven participants including two staff, three volunteers, and four people with lived experience in attendance, and they opted for the five-pin option. Mario's Bowl accomodated the group beautifully, offering helpful accessibility features like shoe horns, a ball ramp, and tea and coffee service delivered directly to participants at the lanes themselves. And they were very flexible around staggered arrivals, helping participants arrange the equipment they needed to participate. All who attended had very positive feedback to offer from the experience, and requested more similar events moving forward.
The team also coordinated a group visit to Hymer's Fall Fair over the Labour Day weekend, as well as a gathering at Bill Heibein's farm, where participants got to see the horses, enjoy the beauty of the landscape and chat over coffee and delicious snacks.
Lastly, the focus group is currently working on developing a virtual version of their Journey Mapping project, to be displayed on the website as soon as it's ready to go. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THAT GOING FORWARD!
Learn More about the Building Capacity Project