Ask an Expert

Meet the Experts

The Ask an Expert section of Forgetful Not Forgotten.com would have been impossible without the cooperation of experts in the fields of Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis, treatment, caregiving and counseling.

On behalf of caregivers everywhere, we thank them for selflessly sharing their time and their knowledge with the Forgetful Not Forgotten community.

The Experts

Dr. Howard Chertkow, Bloomfield Centre for Research in Aging
Kathleen Connolly, Baycrest's Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged
April Hayward, Alzheimer Society of Montreal
Kathy Hickman, Alzheimer Society of Ontario
Christopher Hosein, Memory Clinic of the Jewish General Hospital
Dayna Morrow, Alzheimer Society of Montreal
Marija Padjen, Alzheimer Society of Toronto
Nira Rittenberg, Baycrest Geriatric Psychiatry Community Service
Adriana Shnall, Baycrest’s Brain Health Centre — Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic
Andrea Ubell, Alzheimer Society of York Region
Judith Wahl, Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE)
Marva Whyte, Alzheimer Groupe

Dr. Howard Chertkow

Dr. Howard Chertkow (MD), one of Canada's leading cognitive neurologists is based out of the Bloomfield Centre for Research in Aging in Montreal. His clinical and research work centre around Alzheimer's Disease and dementia.

Dr. Chertkow's field of research is called cognitive neuroscience and attempts to understand the brain basis of behaviour using studies of normal subjects, brain imaging, and testing of individuals with brain damage.

Through his work in the Memory Clinic, Dr. Chertkow became convinced of the need for better tools for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. He organized a multidisciplinary team of researchers to look at various means of diagnosing Alzheimer's at the initial onset of memory loss. Work on this project continues today.

Kathleen Connolly

Kathleen Connolly is a Social Worker at Baycrest's Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged. She graduated from the University of Toronto and has worked in research, management and direct service with the Ontario Provincial Government, Home Care Services, Toronto Rehab and Baycrest's Senior Counselling and Referral Services.

April Hayward

April Hayward (B.S.W., S.C.C.) is a Social Worker and Coordinator of Intake and Referrals at the Alzheimer Society of Montreal. She has been involved with the Alzheimer Society since 2003; first as a Special Care Counsellor organizing therapeutic activities for people with the disease, and more recently as a Social Worker responding to the needs of families through telephone consultation, individual and family meetings as well as support groups for caregivers. Her work is inspired by the belief that each person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder still has much to teach us, and deserves to live a meaningful and dignified life.

Kathy Hickman

Kathy Hickman is the Education Manager at the Alzheimer Society of Ontario. Since joining in 2002, she was instrumental in designing a Learning Series for First Link, a unique program that reaches out to families after a diagnosis of dementia, offering education workshops and coping strategies early on so they can better manage the disease. In addition to educating people about Alzheimer’s disease through her work at the Alzheimer Society, Kathy was a part-time instructor in the Dementia Studies certificate program at both Georgian College and George Brown College, and has spent more than 10 years working with a variety of seniors support organizations. Kathy has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Gerontology from the University of Guelph and is currently pursing her Masters of Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She is a staunch advocate for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

Christopher Hosein

Christopher Hosein (B.A., M.A.) has worked with the Memory Clinic of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal since 1996 as a study coordinator. Christopher is mainly involved with organizing and managing research at the Memory Clinic. This includes clinic trials (drug studies) with the pharmaceutical industry as well as academic studies and basic cognitive research in conjunction with Dr. Chertkow's research lab. He has been involved with over 30 clinical studies in Alzheimer's disease. He's also involved with the nationwide consortium of cognitive centers as the study coordinator representative.

Dayna Morrow

expert.morrow Dayna Morrow, (T.R.S., S.C.C.) is a Recreation Therapist and Coordinator of Therapeutic Recreation Development at the Alzheimer Society of Montreal. She began working at the Alzheimer Society in 1999; first as a Special Care Counsellor Coordinating Programs and Activities and more recently in her current position where she animates early stage support groups, coordinates the art therapy and Forget Me Not Program and is establishing the new in-home stimulation and respite program "Active Minds". Dayna is currently completing a Master's degree in Family Life Education and additionally teaches part-time in the Special Care Counselling Department at Vanier College in Montreal. Daily, Dayna is inspired by people with Alzheimer's disease who continue to teach her about living life in the moment, appreciating small triumphs and remembering that despite disease, a person still has many life lessons and gifts to share with all who care to listen.

Marija Padjen

expert.padjen Marija Padjen has devoted most of her career to ensuring individuals and families touched by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia maintain quality of life for as long as possible, as well as raising awareness about the disease. She started with the Alzheimer Society of Toronto in 1998 and is currently the Chief Program Officer. In her role, she is responsible for developing and facilitating a broad range of educational and support programs to guide people through the different stages of the disease, including complex life-altering decisions. After graduating from McGill University in Montreal with a Bachelor of Arts, Marija moved on to York University in Toronto to earn both Bachelor and Masters degrees in Social Work.

Nira Rittenberg

expert.rittenberg Nira Rittenberg is an Occupational Therapist working with the Baycrest Geriatric Psychiatry Community Service, as well as in a private practice. She graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1985 and has worked in the fields of adult psychiatry rehabilitation, and psychogeriatrics. Nira has a special interest in dementia care, having co-written the guide "Caring for Your Loved One" - an education guide for caregivers of persons with dementia. She has an appointment at the University Of Toronto, Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy and enjoys teaching students, presenting at conferences and working with clients and their families individually and in a group setting.

Adriana Shnall

Adriana Shnall is a Social Worker at Baycrest’s Brain Health Centre – Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic. She graduated from the University of Toronto in 1988 with a Masters Degree in Social Work and works in the field of medical social work. She has worked at Baycrest since 1991 in the area of dementia, helping families and caregivers deal with issues related to looking after people with neurodegenerative diseases. Ms. Shnall is starting her Ph.D. at the University of Toronto in September, 2009.

Andrea Ubell

Andrea Ubell is the Senior Manager of Programs and Client Services at the Alzheimer Society of York Region, where she supervises the Caregiver Support & Education program and the D.A.Y. Centre programs. With a Master of Social Work from Wilfred Laurier University and a strong background in clinical social work, Andrea has been supporting families and individuals facing Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in York Region for the past 17 years through supportive counseling, support group facilitation and education groups. She has worked closely with families to help them navigate through the disease process by advocating for services, linking to resources and assessing for day programs. Her longtime passion and commitment to easing the toll of the disease on families has earned her several awards.

Judith Wahl

Judith Wahl, Barrister and Solicitor, has been Executive Director and Senior Lawyer at the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE) since 1984. ACE is a community legal service for low-income seniors, focused on legal issues that affect the older population.

Judith has organized and taught numerous public legal education programmes to social workers, health practitioners, and other social service providers on legal issues that arise in their day-to-day work with seniors, including Advance Care Planning - Physicians' Training Ontario College of Family Physicians and Alzheimer Society of Ontario; Gerontology Programme at McMaster University, Faculty of Social Sciences; the Diversity Training Course at C.O. Bick Police College; as well as Continuing Legal Education Programmes for the Law Society of Upper Canada, Ontario Bar Association, the former Canadian Bar Association - Ontario, and the Canadian Bar Association National. All of these programmes have focused on law and aging issues, such as Mental Capacity, Guardianship, and Substitute Decision-Making; Elder Abuse; and Patients' Rights/Long Term Care Issues; and Aging Issues and Law Reform.

Judith is a member of the Guardianship Advisory Committee, Office of the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee; the Alzheimers' Roundtable, Ministry of Citizenship, Ontario Seniors Secretariat; the Long-Term Care Facility Standards & Criteria Stakeholder Committee, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; the Compliance Monitoring and Risk Advisory Group, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; the Canadian Bar Association; the Ontario Bar Association; and the Canadian Association of Gerontology.

Marva’s expertise, particularly with respect to dementia, is extensive. She has developed, implemented and lead individual and group support programs for the elderly, as well as, provided individual and group consultation to families (spouse and children) of Alzheimer patients. Working collaboratively and with sensitivity with diverse ethnic, multicultural and religious communities, Marva has provided training to care givers, evaluation of care facility needs and teaching for various educational organizations.

Marva Whyte

After graduating with a B.A. in psychology, Marva Whyte worked for eleven years as a counselor in the residential juvenile justice system with troubled youth and their families emphasizing community and family involvement.

Her family and community centered approach continued to be the focus of her work at the Canadian Continence Foundation, where she was the Volunteer Coordinator. Working with a team of dedicated volunteers, Marva was responsible for setting up the first Quebec help line for individuals dealing with incontinence problems.

Marva Whyte has been affiliated for many years with Alzheimer Groupe Inc. in many diverse roles. She has been a volunteer, board member, chair of the Education Committee, Support Group Leader and for the last seven years Director of Support Services.

Marva’s expertise, particularly with respect to dementia, is extensive. She has developed, implemented and lead individual and group support programs for the elderly, as well as, provided individual and group consultation to families (spouse and children) of Alzheimer patients. Working collaboratively and with sensitivity with diverse ethnic, multicultural and religious communities, Marva has provided training to care givers, evaluation of care facility needs and teaching for various educational organizations.