- JUNE 2019 -
The Power of the Pause:
Presentation at Therapeutic Recreation Ontario Conference  
Recently our project team went to Niagara Falls for the Therapeutic Recreation Ontario (TRO) annual conference.
 
Kristine Theurer and Michelle Fleming delivered an interactive presentation at the conference entitled: The Power of the Pause: Therapeutic Benefits of Silence . This session provided participants the opportunity to practice their skills in having an empathetic presence, and building comfort with allowing space for a pause. In conversation, there is a tendency to jump in and fill silence - with advice, our own thoughts, or if facilitating a group discussion, we may jump the gun to move on to the next person too quickly. This often happens when someone shares something difficult for us to hear – for example, about a traumatic loss.
 
 
It was wonderful to see some of our project participants visit us at the Ontario CLRI booth at the conference! 
 
A 90-minute version of this presentation will be delivered at the Recreation Professionals of Ontario Convention happening October 16 – 18, 2019 in Mississauga. For more details, visit the RPO website .   
“I used to feel alone, but now it’s like I have another family. I don’t feel so alone anymore.”
- Resident of Riverstone Retirement Community and Java Music Club participant.
RESEARCHING PEER SUPPORT
Carleton University Students Complete Research Findings 
Over the last year, our research team led by Dr. Renate Ysseldyk from Carleton University’s Department of Health Sciences has been hard at work assessing the psychological and cognitive health benefits of the Java Music Club for residents living at Riverstone Retirement Communities.
 
We are delighted to share with you an infographic , video and poster .
 
The poster was presented at the TRO conference. Congratulations to the MSc students, Victoria Bond, Edna Tehranzadeh, Connie Wu and Margot Wallace for their hard work on developing the video. The video was awarded “Best Student Video” at the Carleton University Community Engagement Event held in late March!
 
We are hopeful that the results of this research will be published in an academic journal, so stay tuned for more news!
 
If you have any questions about the research, please do not hesitate to contact us.  
“The longer we meet with one another, the more trusting I become. We are able to open up and respect each other’s privacy."
- Resident of Riverstone Retirement Community and Java Music Club participant.
SENIORS CENTRE WITHOUT WALLS
In May, Ottawa-based Seniors Centre Without Walls (SCWW) hosted at The Good Companions invited our research team to deliver a presentation about the Java Music Club, as they are exploring incorporating the program into their programming for seniors. After learning about the research project and wanted to learn more. 

SCWW is a phone-based program that offers participants to join in on health and wellness seminars, educational lectures, brain-stimulating activities, listen to live musical entertainment, join in on general conversations, and make new friendships. We will be very excited to learn how this develops as they would be the first telephone-based program to integrate Java Music Club! 

UPCOMING ONTARIO CLRI EVENTS
Webinar: Supporting the Rainbow Community: A Home for All
This webinar will focus on strategies to support the LGBTQI2S+ community living in long-term care, through the exploration of one dynamic individual’s experience as a gay man working as a long-term care home administrator, and the journey he undertook towards supporting his team in creating a more welcoming, inclusive care home. 

June 20 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Empowering Residents and Secondary School Students Through Experiential Learning in LTC Homes
Join this webinar to understand the benefits of experiential learning placements in LTC for secondary school students, residents and team members. Learn how to use the guidebook and online resources to build effective partnerships. Leave with practical strategies and resources to start or enhance your experiential learning partnership.

June 19 | 2:30–3:30 p.m.
SHARING THE NEWS
Thank you for sharing this newsletter broadly with residents, families, and colleagues in your home. Please contact us if you would like to receive a printed copy for your bulletin board.
Would you like to have your home featured in this newsletter? Please submit stories, quotations, photos or videos to Michelle Fleming at  mfleming@bruyere.org  
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE ONTARIO CLRI
This newsletter is part of the project:  The Power of Peer Support: Reducing Social Isolation in Residential Care , a knowledge mobilization partnership initiative between Ontario Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI) at Bruyère, Java Group Programs, Carleton University’s Department of Health Sciences and Bruyère Continuing Care’s Therapeutic Support Services. It is funded by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), Carleton University and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario CLRI.