Symposium Program
OPEN TO ALL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
*This activity has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for up to 6 Mainpro+ Certified Activity credits.*
This event will take place on Thursday, February 12, 2026 from 10am to 6pm Eastern Time.
Details are tentative and are subject to change, please visit this page for more up-to-date information.
Dr. Adrian Wagg
When They Say No: Assessing Patients and Caregivers who Refuse Testing
1. Discuss an approach to persons unwilling to participate in cognitive testing or caregiver interviews
2. Describe ways that cognition can be assessed without formal cognitive testing
Learning Objectives
Dr. Adrian Wagg is a specialist in Geriatric and General Medicine with expertise in health services research. He is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta, Professor of Continence Sciences at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and is currently Scientific Director within the Provincial Seniors & Continuing Care portfolio. Dr. Wagg has significant front-line experience in healthcare administration and systems development, a strong knowledge of operational issues and an in-depth perspective of healthcare of older Albertans. His research interests involve improving care for people with urinary incontinence, community engagement and the quality of care for older people in nursing homes.
About Dr. Adrian Wagg
Dr. Justin Otis
Chronic Stress, Trauma, and Future Dementia
Describe the role of neuroinflammation as a link between chronic stress, trauma, and development of dementia
Discuss implications for future interventions
Learning Objectives
Dr. Justin Otis is a neuropsychiatrist at Northern Light Memory and Aging and the Neuropsychiatry Clinical Lead at the Mood and Memory Clinic at Acadia Hospital in Bangor, Maine. He attended Creighton University School of Medicine before completing a Psychiatry residency at the University of Arizona. While in residency he also completed a 2 year elective in Integrative Medicine at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Otis then completed a Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry fellowship at the University of Colorado and received training in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health. He led an interdisciplinary dementia clinic at a large hospital system in Wisconsin prior to joining the Northern Light Memory and Aging in early 2023. He now leads the neuroscience curriculum for the Northern Light Acadia Hospital’s psychiatry residency and is working to establish fellowship programs and rural satellite clinics for dementia care. His areas of clinical interest include neuroimaging, traumatic brain injury, frontotemporal dementia, and movement disorders. Outside of work he enjoys playing hockey, running, camping, and spending time with his family.
About Dr. Justin Otis
Dr. Carmela Tartaglia
Update on AD Blood-Based Biomarkers
Review AD blood-based biomarkers that are now commercially available in Canada
Discuss potential benefits and concerns with use of AD blood biomarkers in MINT Memory Clinics and in primary care
Learning Objectives
Dr. Tartaglia is a Professor at the University of Toronto and a cognitive-behavioral neurologist at the UHN Memory Clinic where she sees patients with neurodegenerative diseases and persistent symptoms of concussion. Her research interests lie in early detection of co-pathologies in patients with neurodegenerative disease. She holds the Marion and Gerald Soloway Chair in Brain Injury and Concussion Research.
About Dr. Carmela Tartaglia
Jen McKay (RPN)
Melanie Negru (RN)
Helping Individuals and Families with Transition into Long-Term Care
Describe common challenges that persons living with dementia and caregivers face in transitioning into long-term care
Discuss strategies to help persons living with dementia and their caregivers prepare for this transition
Learning Objectives
Jen graduated from Conestoga College’s Practical Nursing program in 2008. She worked as a Personal Support Worker at the Village of Winston Park, then transitioned to a lead nurse role there. Jen was instrumental in the opening of the dementia neighbourhood at University Gates LTC in 2015, as well as the MINT Regional Memory Clinic in 2012. Jen has helped organize and train MINT Memory Clinic teams across Canada. She has a special interest in changing the culture of aging, especially for those living with memory concerns, and aims to empower individuals with the knowledge of how to live well with dementia.
About Jen McKay
Melania Delia Negru is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience in Long-Term Care. She has dedicated her career to advancing dementia care and supporting individuals living with memory loss.
Over the years, Melania has worked in several memory care neighborhoods, where she developed a strong passion for understanding and responding to the unique needs of residents with dementia. She is certified in PIECES and Dementiability Methods and is also a Gentle Persuasive Approaches Coach.
For 12 years, Melania led the Behavior Supports Ontario (BSO) program at Chartwell Westmount LTC, focusing on meaningful interactions and personalized, compassionate care. She now contributes her expertise as part of the Plum Tree Memory Care team, delivering the Better Together dementia care course.
About Melanie Negru
Dr. David Tang-Wai
The Secrets of Secrets - Addressing Common Confounders in the Evaluation of Dementias….with Apologies to Dan Brown
Learning Objectives
Discuss a practical approach to considering comorbidities in dementia diagnosis and management
Dr. David Tang-Wai is a behavioural neurologist and co-director of the UHN Memory Clinic. He is also the Department Division Director of Neurology and interim executive director of the Toronto Dementia Research Alliance for the University of Toronto. His academic interests include the atypical presentations of Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune encephalitis and normal pressure hydrocephalus.
About Dr. David Tang-Wai
Dr. Kate Dupuis
Engaging Persons Living with Dementia in Arts and Creativity
Describe evidence-based benefits of engaging in arts and creativity for individuals living with dementia and those who care for them
Describe practical strategies for engaging persons living with dementia in opportunities for arts and creativity
Learning Objectives
Dr. Kate Dupuis is the Schlegel Innovation Leader in Arts and Aging at the Sheridan Centre for Elder Research in Oakville, Ontario. Her work is supported by the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA). Kate completed a PhD in Psychology at the University of Toronto, and a postdoctoral fellowship at Baycrest Health Sciences. Kate is a registered Clinical Neuropsychologist and a researcher whose work lies at the intersection of arts, health, and aging. Kate explores the potential personal and systemic barriers to participation in the arts, how we can facilitate arts engagement in older adults, and what the terms being creative or artistic mean to us as we age. Kate strives to understand how the arts can benefit all domains of health and well-being for older adults and their care partners.
About Dr. Kate Dupuis
Dr. Ryan Muir
Reducing the Risk of Dementia: Lifestyle Interventions
To understand and appreciate evidence-based approaches and recommendations to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia through, sleep, diet, exercise and optimization of vascular risk factors.
Discuss practical counselling tips on these interventions in MINT Memory Clinics
Learning Objectives
Dr. Ryan T. Muir (MD, MSc, FRCPC, FCSCS) is a Stroke and Cognitive Neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and Associate Scientist in Evaluative Clinical Sciences program at Sunnybrook Research Institute. Dr. Muir completed his Adult Neurology training at the University of Toronto and then moved to Calgary, Alberta where he completed a Stroke Neurology fellowship in the Calgary Stroke Program and a Master's of Science in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Calgary. Dr. Muir's clinical focus is on stroke, vascular cognitive disorders and he runs a Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA) clinic at Sunnybrook Health Sciences. Dr. Muir has published on plasma biomarkers in CAA and in 2025 was involved in international diagnostic and management recommendations in CAA. Dr. Muir's research interests and foci are in the earlier detection of CAA and predictors future outcomes in patients with CAA.
About Dr. Ryan Muir
Dr. Angela Golas
Severe Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) in Late Life: Neurocognitive and Management Considerations
Understand the impact of aging with psychosis
Understand the impact of SPMI on cognition, differentiated from common dementia syndromes
Review principles of pharmacological management of psychotic illness in the elderly
Learning Objectives
Dr. Golas was appointed Medical Head, Geriatric Mental Health Outpatient Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in April, 2020. Dr. Golas is also an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto in the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Dr. Golas obtained her medical degree from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. She completed residency in General Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, where she also completed her Geriatric Psychiatry subspecialty training in the Clinician Scientist Stream. Dr. Golas works as a staff physician within the Geriatric Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where she also leads the Neuropsychiatry Clinic. Dr. Golas is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
About Dr. Angela Golas
Dr. Andrew Frank
Dr. Sandra Black
Dr. Howard Chertkow
Dr. Carmela Tartaglia
Panel: New Disease-Modifying Therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease
1. Describe insights on use of AD blood biomarkers and anti-amyloid therapies
2. Describe a practical approach to informing patients and families about potential benefits and risks of anti-amyloid therapies.
Learning Objectives
About Dr. Andrew Frank
Dr. Andrew Frank is a cognitive/behavioural neurologist and researcher at Bruyère Memory Program at the Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. After finishing his Bachelor’s degree in Honours Biochemistry at the University of Calgary, Dr. Frank completed his M.D. at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He completed his residency in Neurology at the University of Ottawa. Following this, Dr. Frank undertook a subspecialty fellowship in Cognitive and Behavioural Neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Frank’s clinical practice is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. His clinical interest lies in the early detection of cognitive disorders, such as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Dr. Frank’s research interest centers on investigating new pharmacologic treatments and technologies for Alzheimer’s disease.
About Dr. Sandra Black
Dr. Sandra E Black is a Professor of Medicine (Neurology Division) at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, and is an internationally known cognitive and stroke neurologist, actively engaged in > 70 pharma trials in the last 3 decades. She has published >650 peer publications in a research career bridging dementia and stroke, using standardized, cognitive, functional and behavioural measures, and neuropathology to study brain-behavior relationships. Career totals: peer-reviewed: 665 group: 85; invited: 74; abstracts: 924; lectures: 725; H-index: 109 (Scopus) 145 (Google Scholar); GS Citations: 90,541. She was a recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award of American Academy of Neurology's Society of Cognitive and Behavioural Neurology and also UBC’s 2022 Margolese Brain Disorders prize, recognizing Canadians who have made outstanding contributions to amelioration and treatment of brain disorders. She was also appointed Member of the Order of Ontario in 2011 and Officer in the Order of Canada in 2015 for her contributions to Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and vascular dementia. She is ranked 8th nationally and 281 in the world of the top 1000 female scientists by Research.com, a leading academic platform for researchers (2024).
About Dr. Howard Chertkow
Dr. Chertkow is a cognitive neurologist at the Baycrest Health Sciences Centre. He is a Senior Scientist and Chair in Cognitive Neurology and Innovation at the Baycrest Academy for Research and Innovation. He is a Professor in the Dept. of Medicine (Neurology) at University of Toronto. At Baycrest he is also director of the new Bank Family Clinical Trials Research Unit and the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health. His major areas of research interest include early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, and therapy of dementia using neuromodulation approaches such as transcranial direct current stimulation. Dr. Chertkow is Scientific Director for the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), a national organization established by the Canadian government via CIHR and partners.
About Dr. Carmela Tartaglia
Dr. Tartaglia is a Professor at the University of Toronto and a cognitive-behavioral neurologist at the UHN Memory Clinic where she sees patients with neurodegenerative diseases and persistent symptoms of concussion. Her research interests lie in early detection of co-pathologies in patients with neurodegenerative disease. She holds the Marion and Gerald Soloway Chair in Brain Injury and Concussion Research.