The Champlain Dementia Network (CDN)
The Champlain Dementia Network (CDN) is a collaborative network of health care providers including primary care, researchers, the community, community services, funders, and those with lived experience who are working together to transform dementia care in eastern Ontario. From acute care to long-term care, from community settings to home, the CDN uses the collective strengths and talents of its members to innovate, coordinate, and reduce the impact of dementia.
Transforming Dementia Care with Compassion and Collaboration
Our Vision
Our vision of the Champlain Dementia Network (CDN) is to create a supportive and inclusive community for people living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. Together, we will break down barriers, challenge stigma and pave the way for individuals impacted by dementia to have a life of dignity, purpose, and joy.
Our Mission
The CDN is a collaborative network of health care providers, researchers, the community, community services, funders, and those with lived experience as caregivers and people living with dementia who work together to transform dementia care in eastern Ontario.
From acute care to long-term care, from community settings to the comfort of home, the CDN uses the collective strengths and talents of its members to innovate, coordinate, and reduce the impact of dementia.
Value Proposition
The CDN builds system capacity and pioneers innovative approaches in implementing an integrated model of dementia care and promoting collaborative action at the regional and provincial level.
Through advocacy, collaboration, and coordination, CDN helps member organizations fulfil their roles more effectively and efficiently, make informed decisions, and deliver high quality, evidence-based care.
Values
A system-lens and approach
We recognize and respect the contributions of member organizations and take a cross-sector and collaborative approach to our work as this is foundational to achieving the vision. Everyone at the table contributes to achieving our common goals.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Dementia knows no boundaries.
Excellence
Our actions and decisions are informed and guided by the needs of persons with lived experience (PLWD), their caregivers and their families.
Audacious thinking
We are comfortable pushing our thinking to include proof of concept opportunities and opportunities to learn and scale.
Improvement
We seek to make a positive, measurable, meaningful impact.
Nimbleness
We work to align our efforts with the broader healthcare system.
Transparency
Informed, open communication is integral to discussion and decision-making.
Strategic Objectives
ADVOCATE
We will empower PLWD to ensure that their voices are heard on issues that improve the quality of their lives. We will work with government agencies, including primary care, to promote and increase the profile of dementia.
GUIDE and LEAD
We will provide leadership to make the healthcare system easier to navigate for PLWD, their caregivers and families. We will foster an environment where our members strive to improve processes that will make them more effective and efficient.
EDUCATE
We will provide evidence-based information and training to improve the knowledge of our members. We will collaborate with our members to encourage and support new and ongoing projects that focus on improving the lives of PLWD, their caregivers and their families.
Tasks / Responsibilities
System Planning:
- Establish and regularly review the regional strategic plan for dementia care.
- Collaborate with Ontario Health-East Region on system and funding enhancements for dementia care.
- Work with partners engaged in Ontario Health Teams to actively promote and support planning and implementation activities for people living with dementia and older adults.
- Connect and coordinate system-level activities across multiple initiatives including liaison with (but not limited to): the Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Office, local and provincial researchers, funders, and policymakers at the regional, provincial, and national levels.
Operational Planning and Implementation:
- Develop an annual work plan that moves forward key deliverables outlined in the 2024 Strategy Plan, regularly engaging partners and communities, as well as aligning with funding agreements from the Ontario Health – East Region.
- Share information with each other about organizational changes which will have system impacts, problem solve emerging issues and create opportunities for synergy.
- Produce an annual report of activities to CDN members that will be housed on the Champlain Dementia Network website.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of CDN governance structures, processes and recommend changes as required.
Outreach and Engagement:
- Ensure the membership of the CDN, and associated consultation mechanisms, is reflective of the perspective of persons living with dementia and their families/caregivers, together with the geographic, cultural, and linguistic make-up of the region.
- Communicate actively and serve as CDN ambassadors with stakeholders and the public through a variety of mechanisms including presentation at various conferences, participation in regional and provincial committees.
- Act as a consultation mechanism for researchers, funders, and policymakers at the regional, provincial, and national levels.
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Knowledge Translation:
- Support the development of and make recommendations regarding the adoption of evidence-based practices in dementia care across Champlain.
Our History
Approximately 15 years ago, the CDN expanded with Kathy Wright (Executive Director of Alzheimer Society of Ottawa & Renfrew County) and Bill Dalziel (RGP medical director) co-chairing an advisory committee for our region. Under their leadership the CDN grew its advocacy component.
The following co-chairs, Kelly Milne and Frank Molnar, guided the next stage of the design of the CDN, the development of a regional dementia strategy, the first of its kind in Ontario. Thanks to the vision of key CDN members, the organization evolved into the structure we have today, including the addition of a Director role.
Once the Director was appointed, the CDN became actively involved with project work by pushing forth an agenda for people living with dementia, focused on key pillars relating to support for PLWD and their caregivers, coordinated access to service, public education and awareness, education and training and diagnosis and treatment. Members of the network facilitate the projects and volunteer their time to participate in project work groups.
Membership and Voting
Members are representative of a variety of areas involved in dementia care across the region (including, but not limited to persons with lived experience, clinical, administration, and research). They may be people living with dementia, families, caregivers, senior managers, community leaders, and others. All efforts will be made to ensure the membership reflects the geographic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of Champlain.
Given our decision-making role, the CDN has distinguished between Full and Associate members. The intent is to ensure the full network is representative of the system continuum, and broader regional or provincial partners, while enabling focused and nimble decision-making, particularly with respect to the Ontario Health-funded system. The CDN, at its heart, is about health system improvement, driven by the voices of people living with dementia and their families, caregivers, and providing guidance to Ontario Health decision-makers.
Membership can either be Full or Associate in nature: Full member organizations or groups have designated member representatives (the Network encourages the identification of two representatives who may alternate or share participation responsibilities) who regularly participate in meetings and have a vote (one per organization / group) on decision-making items. Organizations that are Full members of the network must be Ontario Health-funded, and/or academic institutions, and/or must represent groups of people with lived experience. Associate member organizations are non-voting, receive the meeting packages, and may participate in meetings depending on agenda items. Membership includes a non-voting representative from Ontario Health – East Region.
Full members (Ontario Health funded) Associate Members
Organization or group designates a primary member and alternate member who have decision-making capability
Designate a primary contact
Requirement that the primary or alternate member attends meetings regularly
Primary contact receives meeting agendas and information updates and is welcome to participate in meetings
There is one vote for each Ontario Health funded organization, and/or academic institution, and/or groups of people with lived experience. Full members may have more than one representative. attend meetings but only one representative can vote on behalf of the organization
Non-voting
Members must be actively engaged in working groups, committees, or specific CDN initiatives
Members may identify potential CDN workplan activities, receive reports on initiatives, and may engage in specific workplan areas
Proposed new member organizations or groups will be identified to the Executive Committee, reviewed and then brought forward by the Co-Chairs to the Network for approval (will be provided with the Terms of Reference).
A membership list will be maintained on an ongoing basis (see Attachment #1) and updated as member representatives change and at a minimum once a year.
The Network will use a consensus-based decision-making model (see Attachment #2). Quorum will be 50% + one member.
The Executive Committee will identify which items require a decision on the agenda. Recorded votes will be taken, for any decisions where consensus cannot be reached, and at the co-Chairs’ call, a motion will be considered approved if 50% plus one of members in attendance vote in favour.
The Chair can vote on behalf of the organization they’re representing and may vote a second time in the case of a tie. Proxy voting will be allowed for members who are absent (members may give their vote to a voting member in attendance) and must advise this in writing prior to the meeting. Each organization and each person with lived experience have one vote.
Leadership
The Network will have two Co-Chairs. Co-Chairs will serve alternating, two-year terms, and will be nominated and elected from and by the CDN membership.
One of the Co-Chairs will serve as the meeting Chair for the two-year period. An Executive Committee will be composed of the two Co-Chairs, and up to three additional members of the CDN. Both the Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario and the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County will be permanent members of the Executive Committee. If there is more than one representative from the same organization on the Executive Committee, only one representative may vote.
The CDN will actively promote engagement of CDN members with lived experience in leadership roles, including as Co-Chair and/or Executive members, in the Network. The membership will be reviewed on an annual basis. To the extent possible, the Committee will reflect the region’s geography and will include a member who is involved in the provision of French language health services.
The Executive Committee monitors the implementation of workplan activities, identifies strategic opportunities (regionally, provincially, nationally, and internationally) and works collaboratively to establish meeting agendas. The Executive Committee will review the budget on a quarterly basis. Proposals and expenditures will be approved by the Executive Committee.
The Director will develop the annual workplan in consultation with the Executive Committee.
Support
The Network workplan is supported by the Regional Director of Planning & Development, responsible for:
- Working with the Executive Committee to prepare agenda, maintain records, write the minutes of the meetings, organize meetings and meeting materials.
- Coordinating implementation of the workplan activities, working in concert with the Network.
- Preparing additional research and reports as required; and,
- Assisting with any other task that is required for the successful completion of Network activities.
The Regional Director of Planning & Development reports to the Regional Director of the Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario and the Chief Executive Officer of the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County. They will meet bi-weekly for supervision and support.
Meetings
Meetings will be held monthly (approximately 10 times per year) based on an annual schedule.
Additional meetings will be at the call of the Co- Chairs by email. Members may participate by teleconference or videoconference as needed.
Term
The Terms of Reference will be reviewed on an annual basis.
