About the Team

Dr. Susan Cox is a Professor and qualitative health researcher in the School of Population and Public Health and the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics at UBC. Her work focuses on experiences of health and illness and the stories we tell ourselves and others to make sense of these experiences. Susan is passionate about the value of the arts as a mode of inquiry and pursues many forms of creative expression including poetry, visual arts, and baking.

Heather Neale Furneaux is a writer and community engagement specialist who has applied her skills in knowledge translation and creative development for UBC over the past six years and is now part of the Dementia Action Co-Lab team at the University of Victoria. She’s been widely published in newspapers and magazines across North America and is passionate about storytelling as a vehicle for human connection and social change. She holds an MFA from UBC (with a focus on Creative Non Fiction), a BA from UVic (English and Spanish literature), and a Bachelor of Education from SFU (French Module).

Hiro Ito is a recent graduate from the UBC School of Population and Public Health and an aspiring health researcher. Her thesis explored how Japanese Canadians live well with dementia, approaching the topic through the lens of a Japanese concept called ikigai (‘what makes life worth living’). Her most recent work focuses on building capacity for research that is done in partnership with people with lived experience of various health conditions.

Glo McArter, who resides beside the Fraser River in New Westminster, considers herself a lifelong learner, guided by what she calls, “the 3 C’s”: connection, conversation, and curiosity. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, in private practice for 35 years, with a PhD in human development, personality and spirituality.

Glo married her husband, Jack, in 1977 and together they built a rich life of satisfaction in their contributions at their work and in community. Glo and Jack enjoyed hosting social events with family and friends and travelling to Ireland, Australia, and the US, as well as taking river cruises in Europe. In 2018, at the age of 88, Jack underwent quadruple bypass surgery and shortly thereafter, began experiencing unfamiliar symptoms. He was formally diagnosed with vascular dementia in early 2020.

When Jack received his diagnosis, Glo immediately took on the role of care partner, advocating for him and others living with dementia. She and Jack attended programs at the Dementia Café at the Burnaby Neighbourhood House which included singing in the choir called “The New Dementians.” That’s where they first met Dr. Gloria Puurveen, who invited them to participate in a research project about living well to the end of life with dementia. That project is what inspired the development of this book series.

By September of 2022, Jack’s new home was a long-term care residence where the Family Council provided Glo and family members and friends of loved ones in care, the opportunity to advocate for their best possible quality of life. Even as Jack’s health declined and he was unable to express himself as he once did, Glo had meaningful experiences of connecting with the essence of his being right until the end. Jack passed away in October of 2024.

A soulful person, Glo loves encouraging people to feel and honor their inner worthiness as a quality that helps meet the challenges of life. She has thoroughly enjoyed her time
working with this team, creating something beautiful to share with the world.

Dr. Alison Phinney is a Professor and Associate Director of Faculty Development in the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. She is also the Director of the Centre for Research on Personhood in Dementia, and is known internationally for her work on dementia, meaningful activity, and aging. She conducts research in partnership with community leaders and people with lived experience to build knowledge and capacity for supporting personhood and social citizenship of older people, especially those living with dementia and their families.

Dr. Gloria Puurveen is a community-based researcher at the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan. Her past research has focused on end-of-life dementia care, and currently, she leads a pan-Canadian project that seeks to build volunteer capacity to animate compassionate, dementia inclusive communities.  Through this work she is seeks to make a difference in the lives of persons living with dementia and their care partners along the dementia journey. She has a Masters degree in Gerontology from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia.

Samantha Pineda Sierra is a Creative Producer and a Communication Designer. She works with universities and non-profits creating digital content, tools, communications strategies, and integrated campaigns that raise awareness and advocate for underrepresented communities. Previously, she worked in high-end advertising, directing campaigns and commercials for international brands across Mexico and Latin America. She is the co-founder of Opia, an independent production company focused on bold, story-driven content that elevates underrepresented voices.

Dr. Matthew Smithdeal is a researcher working on a range of projects related to mental health, neurodiversity advocacy, equity, and representation in academic Philosophy. They recently completed a PhD in Philosophy at the University of British Columbia and spend their time fostering cats.

Patricia Whitelock is the wife of Robert who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia in September 2008 and passed in October 2023 after 14 months in a Care Home. When Rob was first diagnosed, for a short time, we kept the disease to ourselves. Then we set about learning as much about it as possible. We joined a support group. We attended Alzheimer Society information sessions as well as being in the first group to try the “Shaping the Journey” program. We learned to prepare an Advance Care Plan. We continued our usual retirement activities—golfing, square dancing, travelling, camping in our fifth wheel, and enjoying watching family ringette games at home and around the province.

When Rob could no longer drive us there with the trailer, we sold it and bought a park model in Arizona. I drove us there and back for several years. We continued with the support groups and Rob attended the Day Program which gave me a much needed break. During Covid we took part in the “In There Out Here” Art Making Space about living well to the end with Dementia. Even when Rob was in the Long Term Care Home we continued to spend time in the garden. The family gathered in a local park for celebrations. He enjoyed the music programs at the home. It is my hope that others facing this journey will benefit from those with experience. You are not alone.