Grant: Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: Aging

The theme for the CCSMH 4th National Conference is "Connecting Research & Education to Care in Seniors' Mental Health." It is geared toward a multidisciplinary group of health care providers including physicians, geriatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and occupational therapists as well as researchers, educators, administrators, students, seniors and caregivers. Keynotes, panels, 65 paper and poster presentations and 16 workshops will focus on the CIHR priority areas including healthy and successful aging, cognitive impairment in aging, aging and maintenance of functional autonomy, health services and policy relating to older people. On Monday September 27th 2010 the Conference will act as a platform to launch the Guidelines for Comprehensive Services for Elderly Persons Living with Mental Health Problems and Illnesses from the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Drs. Marie France Rivard and Penny MacCourt will highlight key findings of the planning document, including National Benchmarks for seniors' mental health services. The Conference will also build on the collaboration with the Nova Scotia Seniors' Mental Health Network to bring together an interdisciplinary team of health care providers to launch of the Atlantic Seniors' Mental Health Network. This network will increase capacity and knowledge translation in seniors' mental health care in the Atlantic Provinces and will link decision makers to clinicians, academics (researchers and educators), NGOs and patient advocates in the area of seniors' mental health. Over the past five years, the CCSMH has hosted highly respected conferences each with over 320 attendees from across Canada. The unique blend of disciplines and sectors offers a networking opportunity unlike any other conference in seniors' mental health in Canada. We are confident that our programming will act as a catalyst for networks, knowledge translation and improved care in seniors' mental health in Canada.