EVENTS HISTORY 2021
The following is a list of events that the IHLCDP has sponsored or presented during the year. Many of our presentations and workshops are available to view as a video or audio recording on our Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention YouTube channel, so if you missed the event you can still access the information. For events that have a recorded presentation, just click on the button link.
December 1
The politics of health: how do political factors influence our health?
Health is not just medical. In this presentation, research is highlighted that shows how our political systems and policies influence the provision of healthcare as well as people’s health. Examples used show various ways that power, institutions, and policy all impact health in Canada, the USA, and beyond.
Presenter:
Betsy Leimbigler, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Management, UBC Okanagan campus
A Partnership in Research Webinar
November 26
Homelessness research in the Okanagan (and beyond)
Members of the Kelowna Homelessness Research Collaborative (KHRC; https://khrc.ok.ubc.ca/) overview local projects seeking to understand and support the provision of services to – and the perspectives of – individuals with lived experience of homelessness, or who are at-risk of experiencing homelessness.
Panel Presenters:
Dr. John Graham, Professor, School of Social Work, UBC Okanagan
Dr. Kyleen Myrah, Professor, Okanagan School of Business, Okanagan College
Kerry Rempel, Okanagan School of Business, Okanagan College
Bethany Presley, Student Researcher, UBC Okanagan
Xuege (Echo) Wang, Student Researcher, UBC Okanagan
A Partnership in Research Webinar
November 24
Improving capacity within long-term care to implement a palliative approach to care: Pearls for practice
Presenter:
Sharon Kaasalainen, RN, PhD
Professor & Gladys Sharpe Chair in Nursing, McMaster University
This presentation provides an overview of the Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long Term Care (SPA-LTC) Program and tools and resources to facilitate the implementation of the program.
A Research to Practice Webinar
November 15
Hope on the horizon for diabetes
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin.
A panel of BC researchers and patients share transformative changes and treatments for diabetes.
Panelists:
Bruce Verchere, PhD, Professor Departments of Surgery and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, UBC Vancouver;
Childhood Diabetes Labs, BC Children’s Hospital;
Director, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics;
Irving K Barber Chair in Diabetes Research
Sheila Kern, Patient Advocate and Diabetes Parent
Principal Consultant at Purposefully
Jonathan Little, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan
JJ Belanger, Patient Advocate with Type 2 Diabetes
A Partnership in Research Webinar
June 17
Digital wellness project for young Indigenous men: Results from a community-based participatory project
Presenters:
— UBCO Students—
Liam King, Master’s student – Project Lead
Adrian Van de Mosselaer, Mitchell Barrett, Quinn Van de Mosselaer
Braden Te Hiwi, Principal Investigator, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences,UBC Okanagan
Dr. Ali McManus, Supervisor, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
Abstract: Hear the preliminary results from a community-based participatory project aiming to understand how digital media influences the identity, health, and wellness of young Indigenous men who are students at UBC Okanagan.
This project is being run in partnership with the Aboriginal Programs and Services Center at UBC Okanagan and funded through CIHR’s Indigenous Gender and Wellness Initiative.
A Partnership in Research Webinar
May 4
Parent-Adolescent emotion dynamics: Associations with mental health
Presenter
Jessica P. Lougheed, PhD, Assistant Professor,
Department of Psychology, Irving K Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UBC Okanagan
Abstract: Hear about recent research findings and new directions for understanding how emotions are part of important family processes, such as conflicts, and are related to mental health and well-being.
A Partnership in Research Webinar
March 30
Strategies to prevent falls and fall-related injuries: From fundamental evidence to real-world implementation
Presenter:
Vicki Komisar, PhD
Assistant Professor, Mechanical, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UBC Okanagan
This presentation discusses new evidence in factors that affect the risk for falls and fall-related injuries, and how you can apply these lessons to avoid getting hurt from falls.
An Okanagan Embrace Aging event – Co-sponsored by the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention; Interior Savings Credit Union; and Interior Health
March 19
Sleeping better for fall prevention
Presenter:
Paige Copeland, BHK, MSc Student,
School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia Okanagan campus
Hear how sleep is not only an important part of a healthy lifestyle but also helps to prevent falls. Research related to how sleep quality and quantity affects balance will be presented as well as plans for ongoing research in the field.
An Okanagan Embrace Aging event – Co-sponsored by the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention; Interior Savings Credit Union; and Interior Health
March 18
Gut health: A key to unlocking better health and wellbeing
Gut health is fast becoming one of the most important factors in healthy aging, and could stave off chronic diseases such as cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Gut health has even been linked to mental health and neurological conditions like schizophrenia and dementia. Hear about the latest research on the ways the millions of microbes that live in the digestive tract affect our body and our mind, and how a healthy lifestyle can sustain gut health and prevent chronic disease.
PANEL EXPERTS
Dr. Deanna Gibson, Associate Professor
Biology, Irving K Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UBC Okanagan
Ms. Natasha Haskey, PhD candidate and Registered Dietitian
Biology, Irving K Barber Faculty of Sciences, UBC Okanagan
Mr. Gerald deVeer, Patient Perspective
Past-president, Okanagan Chapter, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
An IHLCDP Virtual Café
March 16
Why staff relationships in Long-Term Care homes matter
Presenter
Dr. Heather Cooke, Post-Doctoral Researcher
UBC School of Nursing
Abstract: When relationships between co-workers in long-term care homes are strained, it significantly impacts their ability to work as a team. Dr. Cooke will share the results of a study describing relationships among front-line care staff and their impact on the well-being of staff and residents.
An Okanagan Embrace Aging event – Co-sponsored by the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention; Interior Savings Credit Union; and Interior Health
March 2
Hearts beating out of time: The experiences of patients before and after an atrial fibrillation diagnosis
Presenter
Dr. Ryan Wilson
School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
Abstract: Recent study findings about the challenges experienced in perceiving, evaluating, and responding to the varied symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) are presented. Self-care strategies after an AF diagnosis, the use of technology in AF detection, and ways to respond to an irregular pulse are some of the AF issues discussed.
An Okanagan Embrace Aging event – Co-sponsored by the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention; Interior Savings Credit Union; and Interior Health
February 2
The caregiver experience of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)
Presenter:
Sarah Hales, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Psychiatrist
Division of Psychosocial Oncology,
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto
Abstract: This presentation will provide an overview of the experience and potential clinical needs of family caregivers in the context of medical assistance in dying (MAiD), including preliminary findings from a current Canadian mixed-methods study examining this population.
A Research to Practice Webinar – Co-sponsored by the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, and the North Okanagan Hospice Society
January 19
Relational practice and pandemic restrictions: A qualitative study of palliative care nursing
Presenters:
David Kenneth Wright PhD, RN, CHPCN(C)
Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa
Kim McMillan PhD, RN, CHPCN(C)
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa
Palliative Care and Nursing Ethics Hub, Centre for Research on Health and Nursing
Abstract: For patients with progressive, life-limiting illnesses and their families, physical distancing measures – and the resultant social isolation they produce – are at odds with the central role of social connection in palliative care. This disconnect was the starting point for an ongoing interview study with Canadian nurses, about the ethical issues they are facing when providing palliative care during COVID-19. This presentation presents emerging findings from this study, to explore the ways in which relational practice is supported or thwarted in the current pandemic context.