Ron Beleno

Ron is an active advocate for dementia, caregiving, aging, and research communities. As a caregiver to his father who lived with Alzheimer's for 10+ years to age in place at home until January 2018, Ron utilized technology, community, creative strategies and access to research to support his family's life to live well and as best as possible. In recent years, Ron has been invited to do presentations locally and internationally for Alzheimer's/Dementia Societies, communities, police, educators, healthcare, innovators and corporations. He shares his knowledge on caregiving as we age, ways to use technology for caring, and living safely with dementia, especially for those at risk of wandering and going missing. He is an active member, advisor, and mentor to numerous organizations and educational institutions such as AGE-WELL NCE, Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) at Baycrest, City of Toronto's Seniors Strategy, SE Health (formerly known as Saint Elizabeth Health Care) and the Translational Research Program (TRP) at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine.
Further in his past, Ron has a background in Computer Sciences, Space and Communication Sciences, Marine Aquaculture, Life Coaching and Culinary Arts. He was the Founder and Executive Director of a Youth Career and Employment Centre that served over 30,000 young people, immigrants and career changers in the Toronto area during its' operation. 
​Ron's activities are usually posted on his twitter feed at www.twitter.com/rb33canada
***Stay Updated with Ron by subscribing to his mailing list (click here)
UPCOMING TALKS & Activities(click here for more details)

August 20, 2019 - An Exciting Look at Innovations for People Impacted by Dementia | Dementia Advocacy Canada / CABHI (Online Webinar)
September 30, 2019 - Enabling Occupation with Older Adults | University of Toronto Mississauga​ (Mississauga, Ontario)
October 2 / November 19, 2019 - Nursing Perspectives in Health and Wellness through the Lifespan - Older Persons and Their Families | University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario)
October 16, 2019 - Assistive Technology and Environmental Adaptation for Cognition - Dementia and Assistive Technology | Western University (London, Ontario)
​October 22-24, 2019 - AGE-WELL Conference 2019 (Moncton, New Brunswick)
October 25, 2019 - Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG) Conference 2019 (Moncton, New Brunswick)
November 5, 2019 - Social Work Practice in Healthcare - ​Thoughts from a Family Caregiver | University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario)
November 8, 2019 - Kay Stafford Caregiver Education Day | Alzheimer Society of Hastings-Prince Edward​ (Trent, Ontario)
November 13, 2019 - Technology as a Tool for Caregivers | The Glebe Centre (Ottawa, Ontario)
November 18, 2019 - Technology as a Tool for Dementia Challenges | Alzheimer Society Montreal (Montreal, Quebec)
November 21, 2019 - Digital Identity & Dementia Summit 2019 | Secours.io (Toronto, Ontario)
January 27, 2020 - A Dementia Caregiver’s Perspective on Technology & Tools to Support Choices As We Age | University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario)
February 20, 2020 - Finding Your Way Event | Alzheimer Society York Region (Thornhill, Ontario)
February 21, 2020 - Finding Your Way Event | Alzheimer Society York Region (Newmarket, Ontario)
February 27, 2020 - Involving People with Dementia and Caregivers in Research | Canadian Consortium for Neurodegeneration in Aging CCNA (Toronto, Ontario - Closed invite for CCNA Trainees)​
March 31, 2020 (To Be Rescheduled) - Finding Your Way Event | Alzheimer Society Durham Region (Durham, Ontario)
April 3, 2020 (To Be Rescheduled) - Toronto Caregiver Day | Toronto City Hall (Toronto, Ontario)
April 15, 2020 - Online Webinar | Dementia Society of Ottawa (Online)
April 27, 2020 - Guest Presenter | Occupational Therapy - University of Alberta (Online)
April 2020 (To Be Rescheduled)- A Dementia Caregiver’s Perspective on Technology & Tools to Support Choices As We Age , Laval University (Quebec City, Quebec)
May 25, 2020 (To Be Rescheduled) - Annual NICE Knowledge Exchange (ANKE) ​| National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (Toronto, Ontario)
June 26, 2020 - Caregiver Wellness | Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (Online)
July 8, 2020 - Patient Engagement the Next Generation | Diabetes Action Canada (Online)
July 16, 2020 - Lived experience perspectives- carers of people with dementia | International Consortium on Dementia Wayfinding (Online)
September 21, 2020  - Living Safely With Dementia Online Forum (Keynote: Making Choices to Live Better in the Community) | Alzheimer Society Durham Region (Durham, Ontario - Virtual)
October 1, 2020 - Revisiting Pandemic Perspectives from Older Adults and Caregivers | AGE-WELL (Online)
October 6, 2020 - Ethics & Patients in Research | Translational Research Program - Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (Online)
October 6-9, 2020 - Life under COVID-19 – Opportunities and challenges for AgeTech (co-presenting with AGE-WELL) | 12th World Conference on Gerontology
 International Society for Gerontechnology (Online)
October 19, 2020 - Guest Lecture: Assistive Technology and Dementia | Occupational Therapy - Western University (Online)
November 17, 2020 - Gerontech and Innovation Expo Summit (GIES) 2020 | HKSAR and Hong Kong Council of Social Service (Hong Kong - Virtual)
November 30, 2020- Lecture Designing and Dementia | Institute Without Boundaries, George Brown College
December 8, 2020 - CFHI Discussion Series - Community Dementia Care and Support | Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (Online)
AGE-WELL
AGE-WELL Scientific Director, Dr. Alex Mihailidis presenting a Keynote talk at the University of Waterloo (June 18, 2019). In his talk about caregivers, he briefly references an AGE-WELL caregiver, which happens to be me :)

​To see Alex's Full Presentation, click here. 
Recipient of the AGE-WELL 2020 Honorary Fellows Award
Toronto Seniors Strategy 2.0
File Size: 1181 kb
File Type: pdf
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  • Founding Caregiver member (2017) with the Toronto Caregivers Coalition consisting of agencies and non-profits that serve the Toronto community - The primary project of the Coalition is the yearly Toronto Caregiver Collaboration Forum which takes place every April at Toronto City Hall
​Coach with Healthcare Excellence Canada on programs such as:
  • Re-imagining Care for Older Adults
  • Virtual Care Together Learning Collaborative
  • Paramedics Providing in Palliative Care
Advisor with Canada Health Infoway on programs such as:
  • Virtual Care Change Program Advisory Committee
  • Digital Health Learning Program
Ontario SPOR Support Unit (SPOR - Strategy in Patient Oriented Research)
Ontario’s catalyst for patient-oriented research
"Patient / Caregiver" in partnership with University of Alberta that has been awarded funding from both AGE-WELL and CABHI to develop an alert system that I've designed for those that go missing - Community ASAP.
 SE Health's Wiser Advisor Fellows Council
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SE Health Wiser Advisor Fellows Council
w/ Shirley Sharkey, SE Health President and CEO
Nancy Lefebre, SVP - Knowledge and Practice / Chief Clinical Executive
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Judges Mary Pat Hinton (Emmetros), Dr Nicole Didyk , Mary Lou Ackerman (SE Health), Dr. Alex Mihailidis (AGE-WELL) and myself at Hacking Health Waterloo (June 2019)
  • ​I've mentored and judged health and hack competitions across Canada over the years for DementiaHack, Aging 2.0, Hack4Health, AGE-WELL, CABHI, plus others
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Other Presentations

UNLTD LIVE - YouAreUNLTD with Chris Wynn
Empowered Home Care Summit
SE Health / AMS Healthcare / Canadian Foundation for Health Improvement
  • Presentation and Panel: Critical Policy Levers to Unlock - Home Care Models at Scale
Neuroscience and Society: Ethics, Law and Technology Conference in Sydney in August 2018 (Presentation w/ Dr. Jacki Liddle - The University of Queensland Australia Dementia Training Australia and Queensland University of Technology OPOAC - Ontario Public Order Advisory Committee Toronto Police Services ​
College, University and Educational Institution Presentations
  • Numerous guest speaking engagements at various educational institutions
Patient (Caregiver) Advocate and Advisor with:
THE SAM3 Community Advisory Committee
THE SAM3 HUB - Sensors and Analytics for Monitoring Mobility and Memory (SAM3)
The SAM3 hub focuses on smart technologies that monitor older adults and their wellbeing―to keep them as healthy, safe and independent as possible. It brings together health professionals, researchers, industry, non-profits and older people and caregivers who will benefit from such systems in their everyday lives.
Other collaboration, projects, and presentations...
Some companies and innovators that I have been an advisor...
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Blue Orchid Care
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Dementia Advisor App
Involvement in Research Projects
Besides being a participant in numerous research projects over the years, I have been involved as a collaborator, co-designer, and even lead projects as a caregiver/patient partner in successfully funded projects. Just a few that I'm currently involved with are listed here...
June 2019
The Use of Digital Health Technologies Among Family Caregivers in the Provision of Palliative Care​
Client Advisory Group  Group Member
​​CIHR Funded
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September 2019
Diabetes Community Partnership Program (CPP) with the Aging, Community and Health Research Unit (ACHRU) at McMaster University
ACHRU-CPP Study Community Advisory Board Co-Chair (Scarborough)
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January 2020
Assessing the physiological and behavioural effects of orally ingested cannabidiol (CBD) in older adults with dementia living at home.
Co-applicant: Khan, S. (PA), Lanctot, K. (PA), Biss, R, McNeil, H., Collins, R., Giosa, J., Lea, P.
Principal Applicant: Chu, CH (NPA), Principal Knowledge User: Beleno R;
CIHR Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Catalyst Grant ​
​
January 2020
​Patient-oriented scale up and spread for enhanced patient-centred care
Co-applicant : Ben Charif A; Gogovor A; Milat A; Paquette JS; Straus S; Wolfenden L;
Co-knowledge User : Blais J; Kastner K; Ndiaye MA; Thibodeau G;
Principal Applicant : Legare F; 
​Principal Knowledge User : Beleno R;
Collaborator : Beaumont M; Bierman A; Fancott C; Geiger F; McLean R; Rivest F
CIHR Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Catalyst Grant  ​
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Canada Research Chair in Shared Decision Making and Knowledge Translation

Just some of the many people that inspire me to keep moving the work forward everyday.
... My Whys!!!

Go ahead and click on the image for more information about those in the photos.
Spare a Thought for Dementia
​Collaborator Team Member
Committee Member for Home Modification Canada and Canadian Home Builder's Association on Home Mods
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Committee Members for Canadian Home Builder's Association Home Modification Council
Developers, Contractors, Occupational Therapists, Healthcare Industry, Caregivers
Victoria, British Columbia - March 2018
Some random articles, media, and posts

Write-up blog on Caregiving and Tech for Memory Ball
Alzheimer's Awareness Month (January 2020)
Online version here
Ontario Society of Senior Citizens Organizations
​(February 2019)
  • Newsletter article guest writer: Caregiving Leads to Advocacy​
Father's day posting on Facebook for Alzheimer Society of Toronto
(June 2019)
Here's a video interview I did online for a Caregiver advocate in the US:
  "In 22 years and talking with thousands of caregivers, I’ve not yet met another who learned to  provide care the way Ron did." - Brenda Avadian, The Caregiver's Voice
National Carers Day in Canada
Time 4:12 to 6:20 is where Mike mentions our connection
Dementia Advisor on the following films
  • Consulted as a lived experience caregiver with knowledge on dementia and Alzheimer's for these films​
MUCH TOO YOUNG
Full documentary available to watch in Canada at www.MuchTooYoung.com
HUM 
www.humthemovie.com
​Moderated for Women's Brain Health Initiative and AGE-WELL discussion with 2 dementia caregiver sisters from the documentary Much Too Young (documentary currently available just in Canada)
​https://womensbrainhealth.org/eventgallery/mind-matters-women-technology-caregiving-2
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Caregivers from Much Too Young: Kathleen and Emily Fraschetti, with myself as Moderator
A project in the works...

The Care Cart: www.TheCareCart.com
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