Hope in Action: Edwina Condry Bridges Research and Practice at I'm Still Here Foundation

Edwina Condry Program Liaison

When Edwina Condry meets a person living with dementia whom others might describe as “difficult” or “hard to reach,” she sees an opportunity to discover what brings that person to life.

“I love getting to know them and finding the spark that creates a meaningful connection,” said Condry, Program Liaison for the I'm Still Here Foundation (ISHF).

One recent example includes a man who had withdrawn from social situations due to the communication challenges caused by his diagnosis. Rather than focusing on his deficits, Condry focused on what mattered to him.

“I noticed a stained-glass goldfinch hanging in his window and a bird feeder just outside his room,” she said. “As luck would have it, a goldfinch landed at the feeder during my visit, so I pulled out my tablet and began showing him photographs of different birds.”

What followed was 30 minutes of engaging conversation rooted in curiosity and connection, supporting Condry’s belief that every person living with dementia still has interests, passions, and experiences waiting to be discovered.

“He ended the visit with, ‘I cannot believe I shared those things with you—I do not talk about that stuff with anybody other than my daughters,’” she recounted. 

Condry cited moments like that as the point and proof behind ISHF's core conviction that people living with dementia remain whole, capable, and present. It is this conviction that attracted her to ISHF, where she now supports their national grantee network. 

Founded in 1995 by Dr. John Zeisel, ISHF is a nonprofit that funds and mentors innovators nationwide who are bringing the I'm Still Here philosophy to life in their own communities and programs. In her role at ISHF, Condry walks alongside those grantees, week by week, as their programs unfold.

Condry found her way to this work almost by accident. In 2011, she noticed a hiring sign at a memory care residence down the street from her home, which led to a part-time job there, where she facilitated activities.

“I fell in love with the population, and it's been like that ever since,” said Condry, who has served many roles over the years.

As Program Director, she worked with Dr. Zeisel, the internationally recognized dementia expert and author of I'm Still Here: A New Philosophy of Alzheimer's Care. His federally funded research was among the first to demonstrate that non-drug approaches could meaningfully improve quality of life for people living with dementia. She also became an integral part of the team that developed and implemented research-informed dementia education and engagement programs based on the I’m Still Here philosophy.

Today, Condry holds three interconnected roles that span the full arc from research to practice. As Program Liaison at ISHF, Condry mentors ISHF's Innovation Grant recipients throughout their yearlong grant cycles, providing weekly check-ins and coaching. She facilitates research sessions for Hopeful Aging LLC, the NIH-funded research organization also founded by Dr. Zeisel that partners closely with ISHF, and works with ISHF Executive Director Sharon Johnson to teach the I'm Still Here principles to communities nationwide.

In all her roles, Condry said her biggest takeaway is what she learns from her co-workers and the grantees. “It is amazing,” she said.

For Johnson, Condry’s enthusiasm and care are emblematic of the strength of ISHF’s mission. “She has a rare ability to translate what the research tells us into something deeply human,” she said. “Whether she's mentoring a grantee or discovering the spark in someone others may have labeled ‘non-communicative,’ Edwina demonstrates the Foundation’s core belief that people living with dementia are still here—whole, capable, and waiting for someone to see beyond their diagnosis.”

Founded in 1995, the nonprofit I’m Still Here Foundation helps communities and organizations implement research-informed, non-pharmacologic engagement programs so people living with dementia can experience connection, dignity, and hope. To learn more about ISHF, visit imstillhere.org.