Grand-friends: Part 3 of Intergenerational Engagement series

In this continuation of the Intergenerational Engagement series, host Lisa Loiselle speaks with Dana Zummach and Kate Dupuis. 

Kate Dupuis is the Schlegel Innovation Leader in Arts and Aging at Sheridan College and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging. She is based at the Sheridan Centre for Elder Research in Oakville, Ontario and is a Professor in Sheridan’s Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies. After receiving her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, Kate completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Neuropsychology and Cognitive Health and Hearing Services programs at Baycrest and became registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario as a clinical neuropsychologist.  

Kate is a clinician-scientist whose work lies at the intersection of arts, health, and aging. In her research, Kate seeks to understand how arts participation can benefit all domains of health and well-being for older adults and those who care for them, and she explores how to encourage and support creativity and self-expression across the lifespan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate’s work expanded to explore the experiences of moral distress and moral injury in staff working in retirement and long-term care homes. She uses arts and creativity techniques to address the health and well-being of staff, with an aim towards enhanced resilience and recovery.  

Dana Zummach is the manager of Dementia Programs at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging and has been involved with the Supporting Inclusion through Intergenerational Partnerships (SIIP) project since 2019. The SIIP project reduces social isolation, and builds meaningful relationships that span across generations. SIIP works with organizations across Waterloo Region to provide opportunities for older adults living with dementia, their care partners, and youth to connect and interact in purposeful ways. Dana has over 15 years of experience in public health research, program evaluation, and project management and holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and Gerontology and Master of Science in Public Health and Health Systems both from the University of Waterloo. 

In this episode, Lisa, Dana and Kate discuss several Intergenerational programs that have been supported by SIIP funding through the RIA and programs that Kate has been involved in creating and supporting through her research. They also explore why these interactions are so important and meaningful to both the young and their “grand-friends.” Many lessons were learned from the programs being supported by SIIP funding and as a result, Dana shares some best practices and how to access key resources for training purposes and also program development and/or management. Finally, some words of advice are shared about program sustainability.