1:00 PM -

4:00 PM

Pre-conference Session

OUR COMMUNITY GATHERS TO ADDRESS HOUSING & SUPPORT NEEDS

FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Raynell McDonough, BA, BSW, MSW, RSW - Issue Strategist with Calgary Neighbourhoods at The City of Calgary
Kim Savard, BA - Program Manager of The Way In at Carya
Lee Tunstall, BA, MA, PhD - Consultant

Evening to Celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival at Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens’ Association (CCECA)

Join the 2018 Grey Matters Planning Committee for an evening to mix and mingle with delegates, as a warm up to the convention. At the Mid Autumn Festival you will learn the Chinese traditional story and have an opportunity to build your own lantern, learn some calligraphy skills, and enjoy additional entertainment and light snacks.

Keynote Address – John Morris | Earle Morris

Olympic Gold Medalist

“Johnny Mo” is a two-time World Curling Champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. John recently returned from the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Korea where he and his partner Kaitlyn Lawes made history by becoming the first ever Mixed Doubles Champions in the Sport of Curling. He also won Gold at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 with the men’s curling team.

In addition to his curling career, John has a passion for serving his community as a Firefighter at the RockyView Fire Department. John is also an active member of the Big Hearted Mavericks - a group of 25 dedicated businessmen out of the Calgary area who run various charity events throughout the city. The group has raised over 4 million dollars for Children’s Charities since their inception. He is a certified holistic nutritionist and gourmet chef.

Accompanying John will be his father, Earle Morris, a legend in the curling world and a member of the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame. After a lengthy playing career, Earle moved into coaching and has been at it for over 20 years. He has won 6 Canadian Championships. At the World level he has won 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. Earle decided to retire from full-time coaching after the 2016 season and began offering his services to train high performance (HP) coaches. Earle’s coaching seminars focus on areas of training that can truly make a difference in team success.

An Information Sharing Approach to Working Collaboratively

George Alvarez - Executive Director, Knowledge and Information Management, Community and Social Services

Engaging Seniors in Rural Communities

Cindy Lauwen - Volunteer Coordinator
Barons-Eureka-Warner Family & Community Support Services

Chinese Community Helper Program: A Peer Support Program for Seniors

Liza Chan, BA, RSW, Executive Director
Celia Li, MSW, RSW, Operations Manager
Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens’ Association

Elder Abuse Response Team: A Collaborative Approach to

Promoting Safer Communities for Older Adults

Susan Westenberger - Sargent, Calgary Police Service
Jenna Powell, MSW, RSW - Social Worker - carya
Luanne Whitmarsh - President, Alberta Association of Seniors Centres

Board Development

Justin Solamillo, BSW, MSW - Community Development Officer, Alberta Culture and Tourism

What is a Dementia Friendly Community and What Does This Mean for You?

Emma Richardson, BA - Dementia Friendly Communities Coordinator, Calgary Westhills, The Brenda Stafford Foundation

Let’s Talk Ageism! A Collaborative, Community Approach to Change

Donna Durand - Executive Director, Alberta Council on Aging
Iman Bukkhari, MA - CEO, Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation

Delivering More Than a Meal

Christine Hentschel - Client Services Manager, Calgary Meals on Wheels

Leadership Forged by The Four Horsemen -

Lessons for Leaders from Fires, Floods, Pestilence and War

Steven Armstrong, MSc - Leadership Expert, Speaker and Author of You Can't Lead From Behind

What Family Caregivers Say: Surprising and

Not So Surprising Results from New Research

Allegra Samaha, MSW (c), RSW - Research Lead, Alberta Health Services Inpatient Social Worker, South Health Campus
Briana Nickel, BSc - Research Team Member

When a Community Speaks…A Shared Journey to

Wellness for Staff and Residents

Sarah Price, B.A.Sc, Director of Service
Krista Tweed, MA, Manager of Learning & Development
Barbara Hagen, MA, RSW, Regional Manager
Silvera for Seniors

Hearing Matters for an Aging Population: Research Findings and Evidence-based Recommendations for Communication and Hearing Loss

Sharron Nixon; Alan Jones - Hearing Services Coordinators, Deaf & Hear Alberta
Dr. Carrie Scarff, R. Aud, Ph.D, Registered Clinical Audiologist, Director of Audiology, Audiology Innovations, Board Member, Deaf and Hear Alberta

Strategic Planning for Seniors Centres

Justin Solamillo, BSW, MSW - Community Development Officer, Alberta Culture and Tourism

Connecting with Others Never Grows Old - The Value of Multimedia Marketing in Addressing Social Isolation and Building Inclusive Age Friendly Communities

Haidong Liang, PhD, Project & Facility Manager
Westend Seniors Activity Centre

No Longer Silent: LGBT Older Adults

Diana Wark, RSW - Training Centre Facilitator, Calgary Sexual Health Centre

How can our Continuing Care System Help Albertans Age Well

Christine Walsh, MSc, MSW, PhD, RSW, Professor and Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary; Mare Donly, MSW, RSW, BSs, Volunteer with GSWAG and with Early Onset Dementia Support Group; Linda McFarlane, BSc, BSW, MSW, Volunteer with GSWAG and Patient/family advisor, Alberta Health Serving Continuing Care Committee

6:00 PM -

8:00 PM

Networking Reception at the Kerby Centre

Join us for a fun and relaxing evening in “Margaritaville”, complete with a live tribute band! A variety of food options included. Cash bar will be open.

Opening Plenary – Dr. David Posen

Physician | Bestselling Author

Dr. David Posen was a family physician for 17 years before devoting his time exclusively to stress management, lifestyle counselling and psychotherapy in 1985.

Stress is a fact of life - but it doesn’t have to be a way of life. Bestselling author, speaker and physician, Dr. David Posen, is one of North America’s leading experts on stress mastery, work-life balance, health, and wellness. His dynamic presentations have empowered thousands of people to take control of their lives…and come out on top. Combining humour and practical analogies, Dr. Posen helps unlock the mysteries of stress and wellness.

Dr. Posen is the author of five bestselling books, Always Change a Losing Game; Staying Afloat When Water Gets Rough; The Little Book of Stress Relief; Is Work Killing You?; and his most recent title, Authenticity.

Enhancing the Mobility of Seniors through Regional Collaborative

Models of Alternate Transportation for Seniors and

Launching a Community of Practice (CoP) Resource

Dr. Bonnie Dobbs - Professor in Department of Family Medicine and Director, Medically At-Risk Driver Centre (MARD) at University of Alberta
Kathleen Waxer - Director of the Community & Family Services, Municipality of Jasper
Wendy Robinson - Family and Community Support Services Supervisor, Yellowhead County
Susan Berry - Community Seniors Manager, Sturgeon County
Emily Hussey, BSc - Research Coordinator, Medically At-Risk Driver Centre (MARD) at University of Alberta

Truth and Reconciliation, the Response from City of Calgary

Lorelei Higgins, BA, MBA - Indigenous Relations Strategist, The City of Calgary

Addressing Elder Abuse in Alberta

Lori Therrien, RSW - Elder Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Alberta Seniors and Housing

Balance Your Health: Wellness Made Easy

Melanie Fuller, BPE, CSEP, CEP, ACSM, CCEP - Manager, Wellness Programs, Alberta Blue Cross

Healthy Aging Framework - Report Back to Senior Centres

Luanne Whitmarsh - President, Alberta Association of Seniors Centres
Karen McDonald, MBA - Executive Director, Sage Seniors Association

Insights on Alberta Seniors: What Statistics Canada Data Can Tell Us

Stephanie Quigg, MA - Program Policy and Data Analyst, Alberta Seniors and Housing

Art Therapy and the Expressive Arts in Older Adults Groups

Marilyn Magnuson, MSW, RSW, RCAT - Express Yourself Child & Family Art Therapy

End Note:

Men’s Sheds: Men Building Community & Supports, Shoulder to Shoulder

Amanda Harriman-Gojtan - Life Enrichment Coordinator, Sage Seniors Association
Punch Jackson, retired