Building A Healthy Mindset

Special guest and lead researcher of the Global Mindsets Study, Dr. Dan Gordon, explores how the results of the study impact the Down syndrome community and his recommendations for weekly physical and cognitive exercises. During the community panel, special guest figure skater Meg Ohsada and competitive powerlifter Kassidy Rutledge talk about their journeys as athletes who are pushing themselves to conquer new challenges every day.

Nutrition and Meal Planning

In this webinar, we welcome nutrition experts Dr. Vaish Sarathy, Functional Nutrition Practitioner and mother to a child with Down syndrome, Maria Kupreeva, Dietician, and Jamie Gervais, Food Literacy Program Facilitator. They share their advice on finding the right diet for young children with Down syndrome, the connection between nutrition and aging issues such as dementia, and practical tips for youth and young adults who are learning to cook for themselves.

Our community panel guests also provide their practical suggestions for developing cooking skills and finding nutritious meals you love. Thank you to Caleb and Karen Prewitt and Jennifer and Sawyer Engele for sharing your experiences!

Managing Your Mental Health

Learn how to recognize common mental health challenges in adults with Down syndrome and develop skills to promote mental wellness and self-care. Hear lived experiences from a self-advocate and expert insight from guest speaker Dr. Yona Lunsky, Scientific Director of the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Director of the Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities Program (H-CARDD) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She is also a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine and an adjunct scientist at ICES.

Finding Paid Employment

This free workshop for jobseekers with Down syndrome during Disability Employment Awareness Month featured tips for building your resume and finding job opportunities, advice on how to find work using digital platforms, and insights into what success looks like at a new job. Community members also shared the successes and challenges of their employment journeys. Special guests included Ingrid Muschta from the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN), Sean McConnell from LinkedIn, and Vanessa Duarte from Adecco Canada.

Building a Social Network

This webinar explored the importance of making social connections and strategies for cultivating strong relationships, including establishing a circle of care. Featuring insights from special guest Anna Bruno, Independent Facilitator at Partners for Planning, and community members Wendy Newbery and the Innes family, who shared their own lived experiences of social connection and isolation.