The PiDC Alliance was thrilled to be a feature sponsor and to have been involved in the planning of the first national Canadian conference on changing the culture of aging — Walk With Me — presented from March 23‐25th, 2014 by the Research Institute for Aging, and the Schlegel Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long‐Term Care. Walk with Me was a great success and included older adults and residents, formal and informal care partners, management, educators, policy‐makers and researchers.
Keynote presentations included Barry Barkan (co‐founder of the Pioneer Network and champion for culture change), Dr. Bill Thomas (founder of The Eden Alternative), and a live performance of the research based drama "Cracked: New Light on Dementia" based on the research of Drs. Sherry Dupuis, Gail Mitchell, Pia Kontos, and Christine Jonas‐Simpson and written and directed by Julia Gray. Concurrent sessions covered diverse topics from person‐centred and relational care to the built environment. Presentations can be viewed online at www.the‐ria.ca/walkwithme
Delegates described their experiences as: inspiring, engaging, enlightening, excellent, thought‐provoking and positive.