Ed., M.Sc., University of Manitoba.
· Sessional Instructor, Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, University of
Manitoba, 2002-2007.
· Interviewer, National and Provincial Studies on Aging, University of Manitoba,
2000-2010.
· Cognitive Educator, Brain Enhancement Services, 2008.
· Companion Care Trainer, Comforts of Home-Care, Inc., 2010-2011.
· Director of Brain Vitality Program, Comforts of Home-Care, Inc. 2010-2011. Alison Kennedy started her own company, Kennedy Cognitive Services, Inc. Years of interviewing seniors, their caregivers, and health care staff for provincial and national studies, opened her eyes to the reality of thousands of seniors struggling with cognitive decline and a healthcare system that lacks the resources to address their individual needs for cognitive support. Her personal experience in working with cognitively impaired individuals has motivated her to compile a resource manual and tool kit and train her professional staff as Cognitive Support Specialists. She provides individualized one-on-one fun and stimulating sessions to clients in their place of residence to nurture their brain health, sense of connection and self-esteem and improve their quality of life. Alison has been adapting her methods to the needs of individuals with dementia, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, Progressive Aphasia, Parkinson’s Disease and brain injuries such as strokes for over ten years. Alison’s vision is to one day see trained and equipped Cognitive Support Specialists working side by side with other health care professionals in personal care homes, supportive housing units, assisted living units, and in the community, meeting the deep needs of individuals with cognitive impairment for emotional and cognitive support. She was deeply honored in Oct, 2014 to present a cost saving idea for the future of dementia care to an international panel of dementia care experts at the Dementia Services Development Center Ideas Lab in Stirling, Scotland. In 2016 she was awarded a Start Up Canada Senior Entrepreneur Award, Prairie Region. In 2018 she made three presentations to the WRHA at their request. By 2020 she was receiving referrals from healthcare professionals. As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, half hour sessions were being offered remotely via telephone and teleconferencing. In 2022, she presented a scientific poster entitled "A promising model of individualized dementia cognitive care "at the Alzheimer Disease International conference held in London, England.
