Community Advisory Committee
Mario Gregorio
Community advisory committee member
- The research aims to identify possibilities in identifying devices that help a person with a disability navigate their surroundings. This can create a safe, enjoyable experience for a person living with dementia.
- The participation of a patient partner with a lived experience allows the researcher to understand the challenges from the simple act of navigating the streets within the neighborhood to enjoying the amenities offered in their environment. This insight is very useful for engineers, policy and decision makers to make accommodations for a segment of the population faced with challenges in navigating the community.
- A dementia friendly community allows people living with dementia feel that they belong to a society that cares. They are empowered to enjoy the freedom and confidence to get out of their dwellings like any other citizen. When their needs are addressed and with a little help from the community they can stay a little longer in their own place.
"Research that address the needs of a person living with dementia is crucial to his freedom and autonomy. It allows him to navigate the community safely by identifying and modifying barriers that inhibit his ability to get out from his dwelling and go about the business of daily living like shopping, walking and enjoying public amenities like parks and recreation facilities."
Sana Aziz
Community advisory committee member
- Strategic Lead, Dementia-friendly Communities with the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia
- Social Gerontologist