Welcome to The Lived Experience Network South East Ontario!

The Lived Experience Network is an open community of people from South Eastern Ontario living with dementia and/or similar diagnoses and their family/friend care partners to engage in advisory conversations, sharing their lived and living experiences, advice and input with the health care and community supports community and with each other, in hopes of improving the system of care.

People’s dementia journeys are filled with meaningful moments—both uplifting and challenging—often there’s no welcoming place to share these experiences in a caring, confidential, and intentional manner.
This advisory network exists to build an ongoing and sustainable communication bridge that facilitates active and meaningful participation of persons with lived and living experiences across South East Ontario and those developing, providing and evaluating services for people impacted by dementia and similar diagnoses across the entire continuum of care.

The Lived Experience Network South East Ontario is a cooperative effort of the Alzheimer Societies of SE Ontario in collaboration with Providence Care Community Seniors Mental Health Behavioural Support Services. This regional network is a part of the Alzheimer Society of Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington.
 
Thank you to all the Lived Experience Network participants who share their input and observations in our advisory conversations.
  We believe to create meaningful services and supports, the voice of those using these services must be heard. Our aim is to create a "knowledge bank" of people living across Southeastern Ontario to be that voice.

Our goal is Exchanging Knowledge, Partnering for Change.

Whether you are a person with lived or living experience or a health care or community supports professional, you are welcome to join us in achieving this goal.
 

How Can You Be Involved?

Lived Experience Members:

• Advisory Zoom Lived Experience Chats/Meetings:  The Lived Experience Network hold six themed advisory conversations a year via Zoom – with the option of meeting in the evening or daytime hours. Visit our Join the Conversation page to learn the dates and times of upcoming Advisory Lived Experience conversations. Email sosvald@alzking.com to learn about our discussion topic, receive an agenda and to register. Although registering is not mandatory, it is appreciated and helps us provide a better experience for participants.
• Email our Lived Experience Facilitator, Sharon Osvald at sosvald@alzking.com or phone (343) 645-6240 and begin your own personal conversation with your suggestions for change. If you do not or can not attend via Zoom, your feedback on advisory discussions is always welcomed.

SE Ontario Health Care and Community Supports Professionals:

• Visit the Lived Experience Perspectives page to see our latest e-newsletter/report, archives of past reports, and to sign-up to receive a quarterly "Lived Experience Perspectives" e-newsletter/report.
• BRING US YOUR DISCUSSION TOPICS? Do you have questions or discussion topics for evaluating, planning and/or improving your health care or community supports service?  Contact Sharon at to explore how the Lived Experience Network South East Ontario can be part of your advisory conversation.

We hope to hear from you!