Past Award Recipients
Every year, the CCSMH, in collaboration with the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry (CAGP) present recognition awards to Canadians whose work and leadership has led to advancement in the older adult's mental health field in two categories: Outstanding Care & Integrative Practice Award and Vision Award.
Learn more about the award categories and how to make a submission by clicking the button below.
Discover past recipients and learn about their advocacy work in supporting and advancing older adults' mental health:
Vision Award
Sage Seniors Association (Alberta)
Sage Seniors Association is a community-based seniors serving organization based in Alberta dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for seniors and their families. Through the collective efforts of staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and partner organizations, Sage works collaboratively to integrate older adults within society, combat ageism on local and provincial levels, and ensure equitable treatment for a diverse range of seniors. Initiatives like the Seniors Equity Collective and the Community Animation program has Sage working collaboratively with older adults and community partners to break down barriers to care and support for some of the most vulnerable in their community.
One of the members of the Award review committee stated that:
“Sage provides a model for putting advocacy into action, a model that I hope will be replicated in other parts of the country.”
Seniors’ Mental Health Outstanding Care and Integrative Practice Award
DIRECT-sc team for guided mental health self-care (Quebec)
DIRECT-sc (Direct Intervention via Referral, Education, and Collaborative Treatment – Self Care) is a team of interdisciplinary professionals based at St. Mary’s Research Centre in Montreal. This team has conducted a comprehensive program of studies aiming to improve the management of depression for older adults especially understanding the complex needs of older adults with chronic physical conditions and depression. Notably, the DIRECT-sc team developed a patient-centred modifiable depression self-care toolkit specifically for community-based patients with chronic physical conditions. A companion coaching manual was also created. This model of guided mental health self-care employs low-cost self-care tools and trained lay guides. Their research shows that this guidance model results in better depression outcomes than self-directed use of self-care tools or usual care. The Awards review committee was especially impressed with the innovation and intercollaboration of this initiative.
Dr. Jane McCusker
Dr. Mark Yaffe
Dr. Sylvie Lambert
Vision Award
Dr. Parvathy Kanthasamy
Whether it is participating in research projects or co-founding Vasantham—A Tamil Wellness Centre in Toronto, Dr. Kanthasamy has devoted her career to supporting the mental health of older immigrants in Canada, especially within the Tamil community. Over 25 years with Vasantham, Dr. Kanthasamy has successfully identified the needs among the older immigrant clients of the Centre and found solutions by building partnerships and seeking grants. Through her leadership and example, she has inspired and mentored others. Her dedication and commitment has shone a light on many issues faced by immigrant seniors, especially the impact of elder abuse and isolation and loneliness.
Outstanding Care and Integrative Practice Award
LOFT Community Services -- Integrated Psychogeriatric Outreach Program (IPOP)
LOFT Community Services is located in York Region and the South Simcoe area of Ontario. According to their nomination letter, LOFT’s Integrated Psychogeriatric Outreach Program is “an innovative, community-based program that supports seniors, and their care partners, who are experiencing a new and/or functional decline related to mental health, substance use or dementia-related challenges.” Through an interprofessional and interdisciplinary team, IPOP serves about 300 individuals each year with the goal of helping “them live in their own homes and communities with respect and dignity, foster[ing] independence and improv[ing] quality of life.” IPOP credits its success in part to the use of technology via the Ontario Telemedicine Network, key partnerships with CMHA and a community of practice. IPOP would also like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Vanessa Thoo and Dr. Selmi Asmer, the Geriatric Psychiatrists who support the IPOP team and their clients.
Second image: At awards night, Sophia Ho, Dr. Dallas Seitz (CCSMH Co-chair), Claire Checkland (CCSMH Executive Director), Andrea Thomas, Sarah Ehsan
Vision Award
Margaret Gillis
Margaret was awarded for her commitment and dedication to improving the mental and physical health care, well-being and rights of older people. The many letters of support that Margaret received are a true testament to the local, national and international impact she has made combating ageism and advocating for the human rights of older persons. Margaret excels at interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in real change. As one supporter stated “Ms. Gillis’ ardent commitment to championing the rights of older persons and promoting the strengths associated with ageing has had a tangible impact on the lives of older adults in Canada and internationally.”
Outstanding Care & Integrative Practice Award
Dementia Isolation Toolkit Team
The CAGP/CCSMH applauds the Dementia Isolation Toolkit Team for responding to a dire need for clinical guidance at the onset of COVID-19 when implementing infection control measures such as isolation and quarantine of people living with dementia in long-term care. The team's initiative and quick response helped to ensure that people living with dementia were treated in a compassionate, safe and effective manner thereby also helping to prevent and reduce clinical indecision and moral distress. The toolkit and the additional resources developed by the Dementia Isolation Toolkit team have had an impact locally, and nationally and will continue to do so in the years to come.
The access the Dementia Isolation Toolkit click Home - Dementia Isolation Toolkit to see a complete listing of the team click here Our team | Dementia Isolation Toolkit
Outstanding Care & Integrative Practice Award
Dr. Carol Ward
Carol is described by her colleagues as “an exemplary geriatric psychiatrist, thoughtful educator and leader who possesses exceptional patient centered expertise. The projects and initiatives that she has undertaken are transforming older adult mental health care in the areas of increasing capacity, understanding, and improving quality of care and knowledge transfer for staff who care for our elders with complex mental health needs. “
Vision Award
The Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism Ageism and Media Project Team from Regina, Saskatchewan
As part of a three-year collective impact project designed to reduce social isolation of older adults, the Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism (SSM) developed an innovative program specifically created to identify ageism, raise awareness about the negative effects of ageism and pro-actively work to promote change.
Project goals were:
- To examine the attitudes and beliefs present within news reporting in Saskatchewan and to uncover how readers of current news stories interpret them when using an age-sensitive lens.
- Engage with volunteer older adult monitors in the community to obtain an important glimpse into community reporting and into how readers perceive the stories and their subjects as presented by journalists.
Outstanding Care & Integrative Practice Award
The Behavior and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Interdisciplinary team from Montreal, Quebec
The goal of the outpatient BPSD team is not only to reduce the frequency and intensity of Behavioural Symptoms of Dementia, but also to help referral teams, whether at home, in long term care or in medical clinics, to understand the meaning of these behaviors and to find strategies to improve the well-being and quality of life of the elderly person and of those around them.
The mandate of this team is also to contribute to the transfer of knowledge as well as mentoring and coaching activities to front-line teams.
Vision Award
Margaret Gillis
Margaret was awarded for her commitment and dedication to improving the mental and physical health care, well-being and rights of older people. The many letters of support that Margaret received are a true testament to the local, national and international impact she has made combating ageism and advocating for the human rights of older persons. Margaret excels at interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in real change. As one supporter stated “Ms. Gillis’ ardent commitment to championing the rights of older persons and promoting the strengths associated with ageing has had a tangible impact on the lives of older adults in Canada and internationally.”
Outstanding Care & Integrative Practice Award
Marilyn White-Campbell
Marilyn was awarded for her outstanding community leadership and education within the field of Specialized Geriatric Services - Geriatric Mental Health and Addictions. Marilyn has successfully developed inter-professional and interdisciplinary collaborative partnerships across the not-for-profit continuum of care inclusive of; primary care; community support services; mental health and addictions services; acute care; and long-term care. Her relentless advocating has helped to bring issues surrounding substance use among older adults into the light.