The PiDC Alliance Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Retreat!

6 Alliance members stand in a line acting out their ideal care future using arts and crafts..

Members of the PiDC Alliance perform their vision of an ideal care future during the AI retreat day.

Sharing experiences and learning from one another:   

In late April, more than 30 members of the PiDC Alliance came together in Kitchener, Ontario to:

  • Share and learn from each other’s culture change experiences,
  • Re-visit the Appreciative Inquiry process through participation in a mini-AI summit,
  • Identify and document the positive core of the culture change process so far, and,
  • Plan a way forward for the remainder of the project.

Diverse voices around the table:

Family partners in care, front-line staff, and managers from each of three Culture Change Coalitions (CCCs)  and the Village Advisory Team (VAT) worked and shared alongside members of the Research Management Team and project researchers.

Planning for the future:

The group used Appreciative Interviews, skits, art, as well as small and large group critical and reflective discussion while moving from the Dawn-Design phase of the Appreciative Inquiry process. 

What happens next?

In a report created after the retreat, the PiDC Alliance outlined some specific ways we can continue to strengthen and expand our culture change journey.

These include:

  • Working to provide more virtual and in person connections between all PiDC Alliance members.
  • Reinforcing the value of strong authentic partnerships and exploring alternative ways to include the voices of persons living with dementia.
  • Committing to finding opportunities for CCC members to take leadership roles in this process.
  • Sharing our stories freely and confidently, through video, writing and communications, so that we can engage wider audiences in our culture change initiative.