LIVING the Dementia Journey
Topics: Dementia
LIVING the Dementia Journey (LDJ) is an award-winning, evidence-informed training program for those who support people living with dementia. By participating in the training, participants will gain an awareness and understanding that not only changes how they view dementia but also the way they support people living with dementia.
In 2025, the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) collaborated with learners, workshop facilitators, RIA research chairs, people living with dementia, and an equity, diversity, and inclusion advisory team including people with lived experience, to update the original 2013 training content to further reflect the LIVING the Dementia Journey philosophy in today’s society.
The LDJ program emphasizes the importance of shifting care and services to focus on a person’s strengths and abilities, and how people can be supported to live life to the fullest. The program has six core modules:
- Learning about the experience of living with dementia
- Improving personal well-being
- Validating and honouring each person in the moment
- Interpreting personal expressions, actions and reactions
- Nurturing all relationships
- Greeting each day as an opportunity for meaning, purpose, and growth
The LDJ workshops currently available include:
- The LDJ Workshop is for community members, care partners, and healthcare professionals including PSWs working in long-term care and retirement homes. This is an 8-hour course that can be completed as two ½ days or a full-day in-person or virtual workshop. To register for the LDJ Workshop visit our events page.
- The LDJ Train-the-Trainer workshop is for organizations interested in building capacity to train and support their teams. This is a 16-hour course completed in in-person or virtual workshop formats. To register for the LDJ Train-the-Trainer visit our events page.
- The LDJ for Young Adults is a free, evidence-informed, three-hour online ecCourse specifically designed with input from young adults and people living with dementia. Click here for more information!
Workbooks and/or certificates of completion are provided to LDJ program participants.
If you have any questions or want to plan your own LDJ workshop, please email us at ldj@the-ria.ca.
This Ministry of Long-Term Care-funded program provides tuition and backfill reimbursement for personal support workers (PSW) and other team members working in Ontario long-term care (LTC) homes to participate in continuing education and professional development. Learn more.
Lead Researchers
Carrie McAiney, PhD
Schlegel Research Chair in Dementia; Scientific Director, MAREP
Program Team
- Priyanka Lloyd, Manager, Programs
- Jodie Walker, LDJ Facilitator
The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) gratefully acknowledges the foundational contributions of the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP), which laid the groundwork for the RIA’s approach to co-design in dementia research and education.