February 19, 2026
Dr. Saskia Sivananthan
“Mind the Gap: Close the Care Divide for Canadians with Dementia”
This talk moves beyond describing the problem to examining why Canada continues to lag behind peer countries in delivering coordinated, timely dementia care—and what can be done to change that. Drawing on international exemplars where dementia care has been better systematized and embedded into routine health services, the presentation highlights the policy, governance, and financing choices that have driven measurable improvements elsewhere.
Using Ontario as a live case study, the talk outlines how evidence, lived experience, and health-system levers are being brought together to close the gap between diagnosis and meaningful care, offering a practical roadmap for translating strategy into action.
Dr. Saskia Sivananthan, an internationally recognized strategy and policy advisor on dementia care, is the co-founder and CEO of the Brainwell Institute – a nonprofit dementia policy think tank. She is also an Affiliate Professor at McGill University. She was formerly Chief Research and KTE Officer at the Alzheimer Society of Canada where she oversaw a tripling of funding for dementia research and created multiple platforms for people living with dementia to engage in research, advocate and co-design programming for their needs. In 2020 she was appointed by the Federal Minister of Health to the ministerial advisory board on dementia.
Previously, Dr. Sivananthan served as a senior strategy and policy advisor consulting for the World Health Organization (WHO) on its overall global dementia strategy. Dr. Sivananthan co-drafted the WHO’s Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia which was unanimously adopted at the 170th World Health Assembly by all 194 member-states. This plan served as the template for Canada’s National Dementia Strategy. It identified key priorities and established international goals to fight stigma and advance dementia care. Dr. Sivananthan is a neuroscientist and health data scientist.
Join us February 19, 2026, cocktails 6pm, dinner 7pm, at the Oakville Conference Centre for a three-course meal, good company, and an interesting talk!
Members $65, Non-Members $75
Ticket sales close at midnight Monday February 16
Tickets go on sale January 16, 2026
