IT IS NOT OVER YET is an immersive, life-affirming journey into the day-to-day rhythm of a controversial nursing home for people with dementia in Denmark. The founding nurse of Dagmarsminde, May Bjerre Eiby, has no interest in specific dementia diagnoses or medicine since neither improves the quality of life for her 11 residents. Instead, she and her staff have developed a new kind of treatment inspired by the methods introduced by Florence Nightingale 150 years ago, as well as Danish philosopher Løgstrup. ‘Compassion Treatment,’ as May calls it, prioritizes hugs, touch, talking, humor, eye contact, cake, nature, bubbles, and the joy of community.
Having suffered the painful loss of her father due to neglect at a nursing home, May is determined to inspire a complete change in the way people with dementia are treated in the healthcare system, prioritizing holistic care and kindness over unnecessary medications.
Filmmaker Louise Detlefsen’s vérité approach offers unique access into the intimate and sometimes intense moments between residents and caregivers, providing a rarely seen and uplifting experience of aging with dignity, grace, and joy.
Alex Rogalski is the Senior Canadian Programmer for Hot Docs International Film Festival. He's also programmed films for TIFF, Calgary International Film Festival, Victoria Film Festival, Human Rights Watch Film Festival among others. He holds a Masters of Communication and Culture from York University and currently resides in Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatoon working as an Outreach Consultant with SaskCulture.
Dr. Samir Sinha is the Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health System and the University Health Network in Toronto and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and the Director of Health Policy Research at Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing. A Rhodes Scholar, Dr. Sinha is a highly regarded clinician and international expert in the care of older adults. He is the Architect of the Government of Ontario’s Seniors Strategy and in 2014, Maclean’s proclaimed him to be one of Canada’s 50 most influential people and its most compelling voice for the elderly. Dr. Sinha is a member of the Government of Canada’s National Seniors Council, and is also currently leading the development of new National Long-Term Care Standards for Canada. Beyond Canada, Dr. Sinha is a Fellow of the American Geriatrics Society and a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. Dr. Sinha has further consulted and advised hospitals and health authorities in Britain, China, Iceland, Singapore, St. Kitts and Nevis, Taiwan and the United States on the implementation and administration of unique, integrated and innovative models of geriatric care that reduce disease burden, improve access and capacity and ultimately promote health.
Dr. Allison Sekuler (FSEP, FPsyS, FAPS) is the Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and President and Chief Scientist of the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, and President and Chief Scientist of the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI). A graduate of Pomona College (BA, Mathematics and Psychology) and the University of California, Berkeley (PhD, Psychology), Dr. Sekuler holds faculty positions in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto and the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University. Her foundational research uses behavioural and neuroimaging approaches to understand how the brain processes visual information, and her research group was the first to show conclusively that older brains “rewire” themselves to compensate for functional changes. Her clinical and translational research aims to develop methods to prevent, detect, and treat age-related sensory and cognitive decline. Dr. Sekuler has won numerous national and international awards for research, teaching, and leadership -- including serving as the country’s first Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and recently being named one of WXN's Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada (2019). In her spare time, she is proving that you’re never too old to learn: she picked up her first drumsticks a few years ago, joined a band, and recently earned her Drum Professional Certificate from Berklee College of Music.
Katie Tucker is a Trade Advisor on the Healthcare and Life Sciences team based out of the Royal Danish Consulate General in Toronto, Canada. She leads the Danish-Canadian Eldercare Platform: an initiative by the Danish Trade Council that aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, commercial trade, and collaboration between stakeholders in Canada and Denmark. As a former dementia caregiver, she is passionate about improving the lives of seniors globally. Katie is energized by creative, interdisciplinary action toward person-centred healthcare innovation. Katie is a proponent for persuasive science communication. As a graduate of a Master of Health Science in Translational Research degree program from the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, she has a keen appreciation for the breadth of expertise, strategic alignment with stakeholders, and cross-sectoral engagement that is required to implement valuable and sustainable health solutions. Katie has experience managing clinical research in the pharmaceutical industry and academia as well as consulting for various health-focused startups as an independent contractor and through her previous work at the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto. An animated person, Katie loves to learn by doing, snuggle any furry animal that will let her, and eat baked treats while listening to podcasts.
