Dr. Paula David

Professor of Gerontology at the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto and the Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson

 

Paula is the  mother and mother-in-law of 7  adults and the  grandmother of 4.  

 

She is a semi-retired professor teaching Gerontology at the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto and at the Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson. She spent over twenty years at Baycrest with a focus on dementia and its effects on aging Holocaust survivors. Paula's passion for this work evolved from the little understood connection between Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome and the reactions of her survivor in-laws’ response both to developmental challenges and aging.
 
Her middle child has Down Syndrome and after forty exciting years has taught his parents a great deal about potential, expectations, parenting and the meaning of family. Brian has always lived his life to the fullest and he continues to teach his parents to do the same. Together with a few other parents, Paula and her husband created a housing solution for Brian and continues to  guide and direct Brian's housing path.