News and Events - 2014
December 2014
Three ICCER supported research projects are all underway:
- Recreation and Quality of Life in Continuing Care
- Learning Circles: From Cooperative Learning Strategies to Quality Continuing Care Workplaces
- Implementing a Responsive Leadership Intervention in Long-term Care Facilities: A Pilot Study
October 2014
ICCER presented at the Canadian Association on Gerontology conference – Landscapes of Aging in Niagara Falls October 16–18, 2014. Addressing Responsive Behaviours in the Alberta Context (Brémault-Phillips S., Woodhead Lyons S., Cole M.) and Implementation and Evaluation of Learning Circles in Continuing Care – an Innovative Way of Facilitating Knowledge Transfer with Point-of-care Staff (Woodhead Lyons S., Barrington G., McLeod D.)
ICCER and Barrington Research Group presented a poster (Using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) for Workplace Learning: Preliminary Findings) at the European Evaluation Society in Dublin October 1–3, 2014.
ICCER, along with Alzheimer Society of Alberta & Northwest Territories, and Alberta Health Services, are hosting two workshops led by Dr. David Sheard, Chief Executive and Founder of Dementia Care Matters. Sheard has developed a reputation as a challenging, motivational speaker and a leading dementia care consultant across the UK, Ireland, USA, and Canada. Part 1: ‘Creating Culture Change in Continuing Care – 10 Strategic Recipes’ will be held on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at Rockyview General Hospital (room 10331) in Calgary from 9AM to 3:30PM. Part 2: ‘Removing Expressive Behaviours in Dementia Care – 10 Practice Recipes’ will take place on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (room 2-140) from 11AM to 5PM. Participation is available by videoconference and teleconference, as well as limited in-person space. For more information and registration details, follow the links below!
July 2014
ICCER will be presenting two papers at the Canadian Association on Gerontology conference – Landscapes of Aging in Niagara Falls October 16-18, 2014. Addressing Responsive Behaviours in the Alberta Context (Brémault-Phillips S, Woodhead Lyons S, Cole M) and Implementation and evaluation of learning circles in continuing care - an innovative way of facilitating knowledge transfer with point-of-care staff (Woodhead Lyons S, Barrington G, McLeod D)
ICCER and Barrington Research Group will be presenting a poster at the 11th European Evaluation Society Biennial Conference in Dublin, Ireland October 1-3, 2014.
ICCER and Barrington Research Group will presenting a paper at the 28th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association in Denver, Colorado October 15-18, 2014. Using Appreciative Inquiry to Evaluate Learning Circles: Some Early Lessons (Barrington G, Woodhead Lyons S, and McLeod D)
ICCER is pleased to welcome Emily Dymchuk, Program Coordinator, and Janet Mayhew, Research Coordinator, to the ICCER team.
June 2014
The final report of the evaluation of the learning circle project is now available.
May 2014
ICCER's final report on the Community Needs Driven Research Network is now online.
ICCER is pleased to announce the results of the call for proposals for the Special Projects Funding under our Community Needs Driven Research Network (CNDRN). This year we are able to support four teams of researchers/providers/educators/knowledge users. The purpose of the Special Project Fund is to help newly forming teams come together to undertake a viable project tackling one or more of the issues identified by the consultation process of the CNDRN, and to develop functioning research and implementation teams, test out ideas, and apply for grants. While tackling one piece of a larger issue, each team can learn and grow from the project. This will lead to the team developing further research proposals, and going on to additional research and dissemination projects.
The four successful teams are:
- Developing an Educational Model to Support the Care of Aboriginal Populations in Continuing Care in Remote Northern Communities. Co-leads: Dr. Sharla King, University of Alberta and Dr. Vincella Thompson, Keyano College.
- Talking the talk and walking the walk: Scoping cultural awareness training options for staff working with older Canadians in continuing care in Alberta. Co-leads: Dr. Lorraine Venturato, University of Calgary, Don McLeod, Bethany Care Society, and Dr. Judy Hanson, Wing Kei Centre.
- A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Electronic versus Paper-based Documentation. Lead: Jane Tse, Wing Kei Centre.
- Metasynthesis study of Transitions Experienced by Family Caregivers of Persons at the End of Life. Lead: Dr. Wendy Duggleby, University of Alberta.
The Network of Excellence for Seniors Health & Wellness has announced the projects being funded under their first call for proposals. ICCER congratulates the following researchers:
- Dr. Sharla King, University of Alberta and Steve Friesen, Bethany Care Society – From Cooperative Learning Strategies to Quality Continuing Care Workplaces. This project will establish and evaluate Learning Circles that support clinical practice changes and effective workplace learning for direct care providers.
- Dr. Sienna Caspar and Don McLeod, Bethany Care Society – Implementing a responsive leadership intervention in long term care facilities: A pilot study. This project will explore the influence of the responsive leadership intervention on: i) supportive leadership practices by team leaders; ii) HCAs' self-determination; ii) HCAs' perceived ability to provide individualized care.
- Drs. Suzette Brémault-Phillips and Mary Roduta Roberts, University of Alberta, Steve Friesen, Bethany Care Society, Dr. Ken LeClair, Providence Care, and Dr. Majan Abbasi, Covenant Health – Managing Responsive Aggressive Behaviours: Implementing and Evaluating a Capacity Building Process in Acute Care, Supportive Living, and Long Term Care. This project will explore a capacity building process for regulated and unregulated staff.
April 2014
ICCER is pleased to announce that Alberta Health is funding a study of recreation therapy in supportive living and long term care and its relationship to quality of life. UofA researcher Dr. Gordon Walker is the PI. Watch for further updates on the study.
ICCER is also very pleased to acknowledge Alberta Health's support of the Community Needs Driven Research Network. With funding support from Alberta Health, we will be continuing to consult with continuing care providers and the broader community. We will be starting a new consultation process in the next few months. Watch this space for updates!
February 2014
On February 20, 2014, the Institute for Continuing Care Education and Research (ICCER) and Behavioural Supports Alberta sponsored a one-day symposium on Building Capacity and Sustainability, to discuss how to build, support, and sustain capacity in health care providers dealing with challenging or responsive behaviours.
January 2014
Registration for a one-day symposium "Building Capacity and Sustainability for Behavioral Supports Alberta" is now open. We will be discussing:* i ) How to build capacity in both regulated and unregulated care providers dealing with challenging/responsive behaviours; ii) How to support care providers to better deal with challenging/responsive behaviours; and iii) How to sustain the capacity and support for care providers. (This symposium is sponsored by ICCER and Behavioural Supports Alberta. Financial support is provided by Alberta Innovates Health Solutions.)
ICCER welcomes new member Wing Kei
The third year of IntD410 at the University of Alberta began January 7th. Facilitators for the class are from ICCER, CapitalCare, NorQuest College, and Lifestyle Options. We will also have exciting guest speakers from the University of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Excel Society, CapitalCare, and Lifestyle Options.
The final report for the Optimizing Workforce Utilization to Inform Care Delivery in Continuing Care Facilities has now been approved for general release. Read about the project and download the final report.
The report Challenging/Responsive Behaviours Symposium: Developing An Alberta Action Plan is now released. Be sure to check out Behavioural Supports Alberta's website too.