FLIPPING STIGMA ON ITS EAR:
Taking Action Against Stigma and Discrimination
Associated with Dementia
For the Flipping Stigma team, the past month has been a time of reflection but also a time of forward-thinking and planning. The last official Action Group meeting as a team for the Flipping Stigma project will be online at the end of this month, but we want to share some photos and stories from our IN-PERSON meeting earlier this month at the University of British Columbia!
FLIPPING STIGMA TEAM CELEBRATION
Earlier this month, the Action Group members gathered at the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus to have a meeting and, more importantly, to celebrate the accomplishments of the past 4 years of this project.
This was the first time some members met each other in person. Through the excitement of seeing each other face-to-face and being able to share of a plate of snacks together, members got down to business for a meeting about the Action Group Guide, analytics on the Toolkit’s usage, and plans to continue research work together.
After lunch, Action Group member Granville Johnson shared some live music, and we heard some inspiring words to continue propelling us forward from the project principal investigators, Jim Mann, Deborah O’Connor, and Alison Phinney.
This was an opportunity for our whole team to be together and celebrate what we have achieved together and to get excited about more research to be done together in the coming months and years.
UPDATES ON THE ACTION GROUP GUIDE
As we spoke about in the February and April newsletters, “the Action Group is currently working on creating a Guide that will give some insight into the process, uniqueness, and shared values of the Action Group”.
Some final touches are being put together for the Guide including an official title, biographies for all the Action Group members, and a few alterations to some content.
A FINAL VERSION IS PLANNED FOR THE LATE SUMMER/EARLY FALL - STAY TUNED!
This will be helpful for anyone who is interested in being part of a research team that includes people with lived experience of dementia.
NEWS AND EVENTS
4-PART WEBINAR SERIES WITH THE ALZHEIMER SOCIETY OF BC
The Flipping Stigma Team has partnered with the Alzheimer Society of BC to share information about the Toolkit in a 4-part webinar series! Find more information about the webinars here. This page will be updated as more details are finalized about future webinars.
The first webinar was on June 7th. The focus of this webinar was an overall introduction to the Toolkit, defining stigma and discrimination, as well as some deeper conversation about some of the examples of experienced stigma and responses to stigma that are included in the Toolkit.
Watch the recording of the webinar here. 86 people were in attendance of the live webinar and most attendees had no prior knowledge of the Toolkit.
Thank you for helping to spread the word about the Toolkit!
The next webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20th
from 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT.
PURPLE ANGEL EVENT IN MAPLE RIDGE: CELEBRATE PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA AND CAREGIVERS
Action Group member Myrna Norman, along with other members of the Purple Angels Dementia Support Group, hosted the first annual Purple Angel Memory Day in Maple Ridge on June 10th.
Community members and organizations from around the Lower Mainland gathered to celebrate people living with dementia and learn more about how to support a dementia-friendly community.
This event was a great success and the Purple Angels plan to have a community gathering in Maple Ridge every year!
Learn more about the toolkit
Download a printable version of this Newsletter below.