Next Meeting

Wednesday, October 6 at 10:00 AM

Due to the need to limit physical proximity as the Coronavirus Pandemic takes its course, Probus Ottawa - Rideau Valley has suspended its physical monthly meetings until further notice. We are still active though and are doing our best to find ways to keep in touch with you. With that in mind we will continue to hold our monthly presentations using Zoom Conferencing.

This month's presentation will feature

Dr. Joseph De Koninck, PhD, MSRC/FRSC
Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa

whose talk is entitled

Sleep and Aging: Reaching the Arms of Morpheus



Biography

Joseph De Koninck holds a Master's in Psychology from Laval University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Manitoba. He has been a professor of Psychology at the University of Ottawa (UO) since 1972. The focus of his research is the study of sleep and dreams. He has been a visiting professor/scholar at the Université de Montpellier, University of California in San Diego, University of Arizona, University of Adelaide Australia, and the University of Florence. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, and was its Honorary President in 1996-97. He was President of the Canadian Sleep Society (CSS) for three years and Past-President for three years. In 2002, he was recipient of the Prix Adrien Pinard of the Société Québécoise pour la recherche en Psychologie and in 2013 the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Canadian Sleep Society and in 2018 has become an Honorary Member. In 2007 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His administrative positions have included that of Director of the School of Psychology and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. He was Vice-Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research between, and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies from July 1994 through 2004. During the later period, he served as Vice-President, President and Past President of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies and as Chair of the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies. Between 1978 and 2009, he served on the Senate and Board of Governors of the University of Ottawa and their Joint Committee. He is currently Emeritus Professor in the School of Psychology, Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (Royal), and member of the UO Brain and Mind Institute. His main hobby is astronomy.

Presentation Description

We will begin with an overview of our knowledge on normal sleep and dreaming and their relationships with physical and mental health. The structural changes in sleep that aging can impose on our quality of life will be described. The additional challenges that the current pandemic induces on sleep and dreams will be studied. We will concentrate then on the suggestions that recent research offers to maximise the benefits of sleep given the above. For those interested in their dreams, the possibilities of using and managing those for a healthy experience will be reviewed.


In order to attend the presentation you will need to download Zoom to your Android, Apple or Windows device. You may attend on your phone, your tablet or your computer. In the next week or two you will be receiving an invitation to the meeting.  There will be a link in the invitation that will take you directly to the meeting.  Further information about Zoom can be found in April Newsletter #3 available via the menu at the top of this page or by clicking on the following link. Newsletter April #3

You can download Zoom from the Zoom Download Site. Some useful tips for installing and using Zoom can be found here where you will find downloads for all major platforms including tablets and smartphones.