RNAO expert nurse to appear at Senate committee to discuss dementia care

TORONTO, April 13, 2016 /CNW/ - An urgent and comprehensive focus on dementia care is needed to help the number of Canadians currently living with the disease and the estimated 1.4 million people who are expected to have the disease by 2031.

That's the message Dr. Veronique Boscart, president of the Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association (CGNA) and a board member of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), will deliver when she appears before a Senate committee in Ottawa today (Wednesday).

The committee is preparing a report on dementia care and is examining the issue from a number of angles, including: how many nurses and other health professionals are needed to help care for people with dementia, what additional education or training do health professionals need, what kind of housing is needed for those diagnosed with dementia, what additional support programs are required, and should health and social services be more integrated to prevent and manage dementia in Canada.

Boscart, who is with the CIHR/Schlegel Industrial Research Institute Chair for Colleges in Seniors care at Conestoga College in Kitchener, says "there's an urgent need to address the care and social services needed to support people with dementia and their loved ones; that's why I am honoured  I was invited to speak to senators, answer questions and offer recommendations on what needs to be done. RNs and NPs must play a central role in the development of any strategy to improve dementia care," she says, adding "RNAO has extensive expertise in dementia care and has already developed two evidence-based practice guidelines on the topic." 

Who:	Dr. Veronique Boscart, RN, President of the Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association (CGNA) and board member with the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)
What:	Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Where:	140 Wellington Street, Ottawa (Room 2, Victoria Building)
When:	Wednesday, Apr. 13, 2016 from 4:15 - 6:15 p.m.

CGNA is the national organization representing gerontological nurses and promotes gerontological nursing practice across national and international boundaries. For more information, visit CGNA.net or follow us on Twitter.

RNAO is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve. For more information about RNAO, visit RNAO.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

or to arrange an interview with Veronique Boscart, please contact: Marion Zych, Director of Communications, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), 416-408-5605 (office), 647-406-5605 (cellular)