Katia Engell

Background

About Katia Engell

I currently work as the Director at The Bitove Method, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of supporting persons living with dementia and their carepartners by offering creative, respectful, and relational spaces for community, learning, and engagement. I oversee the management and growth of all branches of the organization. I completed a Master of Arts at the University of Waterloo in the department of Recreation and Leisure with a focus on culture change in Long-term Care (LTC). My thesis research explores experiences of friendship between persons with dementia and personal support workers (PSWs) in LTC homes, as well as the barriers individuals face in developing meaningful relationships in the home. I worked directly with both residents and PSWs at an LTC home in the GTA area conducting arts-based interviews to uncover rich, meaningful data. My passion for dementia care and LTC started with my work as an art instructor specializing in working with persons with memory loss. I developed and facilitated lessons/projects designed to be both structured and free-flowing, focused and experimental. I instructed both group and one-on-one sessions, working directly with individuals to make art an enjoyable, educational experience for everyone. I focus on the ways in which art helps us connect and build meaningful relationships in all contexts. I have worked for private clients as well as within larger organizations. I am also a freelance illustrator/designer. I do work ranging from custom commissions, to logo and branding design, to poster design, and more.