Pictured above: Linda Bird, Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia; Dr. Janice Keefe and Dr. Rosemarie Sampson
Significant Contribution by an Individual Award Recipient – Dr. Rosemarie Sampson
Dr. Rosemarie Sampson has a longstanding relationship with the Mount and in her role as Dean of Professional Studies during the 90s she helped to shape the focus of aging education and research at the Mount.
Dr. Sampson has always been committed to community service, volunteering her time and expertise on numerous boards and committees which included being the chair of the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging Committee for Project TWENTY12 (the campaign which supported the construction of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research).
Through her work on this committee and her recognition of the need to solidify a centre on aging that exemplified excellence, she has made possible the Dr. Rosemarie Sampson Centre on Aging through a generous legacy gift. The Dr. Rosemarie Sampson Centre on Aging is home to the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging, the Jessie MacIssac Campbell Maritime Data Centre, Lena Isabel Jodrey Chair in Gerontology as well as the Mount’s Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Aging and Community and his Global Aging and Community Initiative. By having these units centralized, it has helped to solidify the work at the Mount as a “centre of excellence on aging”. The Dr. Rosemarie Sampson Centre on Aging is located on the 2nd floor of the McCain Centre.
Significant Contribution by an Organization Award Recipient – Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia
For more than 30 years, the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia has been providing help and hope to countless families, caregivers, support workers and researchers in the province. Its mission to alleviate the personal and social consequences of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and promoting the search for causes and cures is of great importance to our families, our communities and the larger society. The Society has evolved from a small community based support organization to a key player, province wide, in the delivery of education and supports to persons living with dementia, their families and other care providers as well as strong advocate for evidence that will enhance practice and policy. Creating awareness about Alzheimer disease and other dementias, debunking myths and stereotypes of persons with dementia, educating persons living with dementia and their caregivers, linking families with one another and with appropriate services and supports in their communities, supporting the development of tools and best practice, enabling research and evidence, influencing policy are all ways in which the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia works to enhance the quality of lives of older adults and their families.
The Nova Scotia Centre on Aging’s relationship with ASNS has been long standing and in different capacities. The NSCA has presented research at ASNS conferences, from time to time several of our students have been a recipient of the Phyllis Horton Bursary, we’ve worked with them on committees when making revisions to the Dementia Care Course, and most recently on the Dementia Strategy and the Society was one of the partner organizations with our Care & Construction research study. The NSCA would like to recognize and honour the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia for its commitment and dedication to enhancing the lives of persons with dementia, and their families and others who support them.