Breaking Bad News: Guidance on stroke-related vascular dementia
November 6, 2025 from 1:00pm MST to 1:50pm MST
Is memory loss or cognitive impairment a part of the natural aging process? The idea that dementia is something that everyone gets is not just stigmatizing, it's also a myth. For most people, our memory and cognitive abilities generally remain intact as we get older, but with brain conditions such as stroke and vascular dementia, the rate of cognitive decline is different. Vascular dementia is more common than you may think. It is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease and may be the most preventable and manageable of all the dementias. It includes a wide range of symptoms with nonspecific clinical complaints, and findings on imaging can be subtle, however, underdiagnosing or misdiagnosing vascular dementia can lead to severe consequences, including poor quality of life or even death. Today, the session will provide some insight into the pathology of stroke-related vascular dementia, review an approach for investigating this disease, and conclude with some management options.
Learning Objectives:
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Describe the definition of stroke and vascular dementia
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Understand the manifestations of vascular dementia
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Recognize risk factors and common presentations for stroke and vascular dementia
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Identify initial diagnostic tests and management options.
Speakers / Panelists
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Advancing PA Professionalism: Education, Mentorship, and Career Growth
November 7, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 11:00am MST -
Breaking Bad News: Guidance on stroke-related vascular dementia
November 6, 2025 from 1:00pm MST to 1:50pm MST -
Making the case for writing compelling case studies
November 6, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 9:50am MST
Allen Szabon
CD, PHD, MPAS, CCPA
Allen Szabon
Originally from Chilliwack BC, Allen joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1986 as a Combat Engineer and in 1993 he transitioned to the medical branch. He served for 28 years with deployments to Cyprus, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Israel, Syria and three additional tours to Afghanistan. He was selected for the CAF PA program in 2005 and graduated in 2007. Allen retired from the CAF in 2013 to accept a position in Alberta’s Demonstration Project in the department of clinical neurosciences in Calgary where he currently lives with his wife Sandra, their three daughters, two grandchildren and their dog Koda. Allen works in a variety of clinical settings at the Foothills Medical Centre with patients who have experienced functional impairments secondary to a stroke, a spinal cord injury, a brain injury or other neurological conditions. In addition to publishing two personal books, he attended the University of Lynchburg, graduating in 2021 with his PhD in Stroke medicine. In addition, Allen is the provincial clinical lead for Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) courses run within Alberta, he is an active member of the PA Certification Counsil of Canada (PACCC), and he is a clinical lecturer for the MPAS program at the University of Calgary. He continues to be a strong advocate for the PA profession and looks forward to being a strong advocate for integration of PAs into health care in Alberta and across Canada.