Susan Macaulay
SUSAN MACAULAY, B.A. (Communications), Concordia University
Author, blogger (MyAlzheimersStory.com), advocate, activist against the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs in long-term care
Susan Macaulay was the primary care partner for her mother who lived with dementia. As a result of her experience, she became a passionate care advocate for better care for people who live with Alzheimer disease and other dementias. She is an outspoken activist for better elder care who has chosen to dedicate her life to her mom and the countless others, like her, who were (and who still are) inappropriately medicated with antipsychotic drugs. She strongly believes that we must question and find alternatives to the generalized use of chemical and physical restraints in long-term care settings and that we must do so in order to respect residents’ rights to dignity and informed consent. She has facilitated workshops for students, care partners and care workers. Her beliefs are based on personal observations, exchanges with other care partners worldwide and the most recent pioneering research in the field. She is also a prolific blogger whose articles have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association: JAMDA , a leading peer-reviewed publication for practical information and research directly applicable to healthcare professionals providing post-acute and long-term care (PA/LTC), as well as policy-makers, organizational leaders, educators, and advocates :
- « Efforts to Reduce Antipsychotic Use in Dementia Care are Starting to Bear Fruit, but a lot of Work Remains to be Done » Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA). January 2017, pp. 204-206.
- « The Broken Lens of BPSD: Why We Need to Rethink the Way We Label the Behaviour of People Who Live with Alzheimer’s Disease », Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA). February 2018, Volume 19, Issue 2, pp. 177-180.