A Sneak Peak at CAG ASEM 2009!!

Pre-Conference Workshops (Choose one of the following):

1. Exploring Age-Friendly Environments

Age-Friendly Environments Program
Age-Friendly Environments Poster

In 20 years the Baby Boomers will all be seniors; can Canadian product, housing, transportation and community design accommodate this shift ? This one-day workshop will examine how current research is informing development of age- friendly environments to promote health and quality of life. The workshop will be of interest to planners, developers, service providers, decision makers, gerontologists, seniors, and Baby Boomers

2. Elder Abuse: Rippling Effects of Multi-Disciplinary Approaches

The Elder Abuse Workshop will highlight promising approaches in elder abuse prevention and intervention from across Canada including: innovative programs, intergenerational initiatives, multi-disciplinary approaches, and much more. During the afternoon an in-depth workshop with be held with Christina Wolf, Detective Constable, Elder Abuse Section, Ottawa Police Service to examine issues and challenges with privacy legislation frameworks and learn practical ways for service providers, law enforcement and others to share information to assist older adults who are experiencing abuse.

3. Long-Term Care: Deer Lodge Centre

As the largest rehabilitation and long-term care facility in Manitoba, Deer Lodge Centre is an innovator in the treatment of patients, residents and clients. Attend this all day pre-conference event, packed with workshop, presentations and tours, to learn about the research and programs Deer Lodge Centre provides to the community. In the morning session, Lorna Guse RN PhD, University of Manitoba, will conduct a workshop on her research Social Assistive Technology in Long-Term Care: Research using a Robotic Baby Harp Seal with Dementia Residents. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to hear about and visit three new innovative Deer Lodge Centre programs:

• PRIME: A groundbreaking program of integrated managed-care for community dwelling elderly.
• Movement Disorders Clinic: A Center of Excellence providing research, diagnostic and treatment services for Manitobans living with neurological challenges.
• Communication Devices Program for Adults: A new program mandated to ensure speech generating devices are available and affordable for adult Manitobans with severe communication disorders.

Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the J.W. Crane Memorial Library of Gerontology and Geriatrics -- Canada's largest and best-known special library on aging and long-term care. Deer Lodge Centre's Research Committee is organizing a display of Research Posters, in the Crane Library, highlighting the research conducted at the Centre.

Keynote Speakers

Norma Drosdowech: October 22, Opening Ceremonies.
A long-time seniors' advocate, Norma Drosdowech's interest in seniors' issues began with her role as family caregiver, and continued as she served as the Chair of the Manitoba Council on Aging from 2002-2009. Norma was pleased to accept her recent appointment as a citizen representative on the CIHR Institute of Aging. She appreciates the opportunity to bring a senior citizen's viewpoint to the discussion of current research in aging across Canada, and around the world. Norma also remains involved with the work of the Provincial Advisory Committee of the Age-Friendly Initiative and with the Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba.

Dr. Valerie Gideon: October 23 morning
Dr. Gideon currently holds the position of Ontario Regional Director, First Nations and Inuit Health for Health Canada. Dr. Gideon previously held the position of Senior Director of Health and Social Development at the Assembly of First Nations in Ottawa. She was named Chair of the Aboriginal Peoples' Health Research Peer Review Committee of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in 2004. Dr. Gideon is a member of the Mik'maq Nation of Gesgapegiag, Quebec.

Dr. Stephen Cunnane: October 23 lunch
Dr. Cunnane is the author of "Survival of the Fattest: The Key to Human Brain Evolution", which describes the pivotal role of fatness in babies as a prerequisite for evolution of the cognitively advanced human brain. He has developed novel approaches towards improving our understanding of the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids in humans. The theme of his current research is to learn more about whether certain polyunsaturates help maintain cognitive function during aging in part through various effects on energy substrate availability to the brain. Dr. Cunnane holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair at the Research Center on Aging at the Sherbrooke University Geriatric Institute.

Dr. Max Cynader: October 24 morning
Dr. Max Cynader is Director of the Brain Research Centre at Vancouver Coastal Health and The University of British Columbia (UBC), as well as Professor of Ophthalmology. His research has focused on the nature of the processing performed by the cerebral cortex, especially the sensory cortices dealing with vision and audition, and on the neural and molecular mechanisms underlying the development and adaptability of the cortex. Dr. Cynader has made important contributions to understanding the mechanisms by which early use or misuse of the brain affects its functioning for the rest of the organism's life.

Dr. James Fries: October 24 afternoon
Dr. Fries is best known for his introduction of the "compression of morbidity" hypothesis. He is a professor of medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. His research uses large longitudinal data banks of patients with chronic diseases, particularly rheumatic diseases, and senior individuals undergoing the aging process and related infirmities. Among his research topics are; the natural history of disease, toxicity of medications, and computation of the costs of care for chronic diseases. Other clinical epidemiologic subjects include identification of subsets of patients with special characteristics, prediction of high risk individuals, elaboration of treatment strategies, and development of risk factor models for osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal aging.

Conference Hotel

The Fairmont Winnipeg features 340 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, each of which greet guests with elegant décor and comfortable appointments. Large windows in all the rooms provide guests with stunning views of the historic Exchange District, the famous corner of Portage and Main or the intersection of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, now known as The Forks National Park, where fur traders met centuries ago. Each of our 340 guestrooms & suites offers the follow amenities:

• High speed internet access
• Working desk
• Three telephones (including one cordless)
• Climate controlled air-conditioning
• Down duvets and feather pillow
• 24-hour Work Centre access
• 24-hour In-Room Dining
• Refreshment center
• On Command movies and video games

Coffee, tea and daily newspapers are complimentary for all guests, as well as access to the exclusive rooftop Health Club.

SEE YOU IN OCTOBER!!