USask Governor General Gold Medallist focuses on connection, care and community

The Spring 2026 recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal is Dr. Mariana dos Santos Ribeiro (PhD) from the College of Nursing. 

Ribeiro knew from an early age that she wanted to care for older adults. Growing up alongside her grandmother, who lived with dementia, and her grandfather, who lived with blindness, she witnessed firsthand how her family adapted to meet their changing needs. These early experiences shaped her understanding of care and sparked an interest in supporting older adults and their families.

She later became a nurse in Brazil, specializing in care for older adults. Working as a community nurse, Ribeiro saw the complex challenges families face as loved ones grow older in place, particularly when navigating conditions such as dementia. These experiences deepened her awareness of gaps in support and reinforced her dedication to improving care for aging populations.

Ribeiro eventually pursued doctoral research at USask, focusing on the experiences of older adults living with dementia and the families who support them.

“As soon as you begin living with dementia, one of the main things that people told me is that their world begins to shrink,” said Ribeiro. “They feel that, because of this label, they are no longer part of their places anymore.”

To better understand this transition, Ribeiro focused her research on how individuals living with dementia remain connected to and included in their communities.

Using narrative inquiry, a relational methodology that focuses on her own experiences as well as the research participants, Ribeiro followed two individuals living with dementia and members of their families.

Over the course of more than a year, she listened to their stories and brought them together into rich, family-centred narratives. These accounts gradually revealed a fuller picture of each person’s identity and daily life, highlighting not only the challenges of living with dementia but also the ways their families and communities supported them in adapting and continuing to belong.

For Ribeiro, the opportunity to share her own experiences while building close relationships with participants helped her to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of their lives.

“I could layer different stories and how they could be interconnected,” said Ribeiro, “Sometimes you are reading it through the lens of the person living with dementia; sometimes you are reading it through the lens of their family members.”

College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Dean Dr. Debby Burshtyn (PhD) said Ribeiro’s work demonstrates how unique research approaches can lead to a more compassionate future.

“Ribeiro’s research brings forward powerful stories about belonging and care,” said Burshtyn. “Her community-focused approach is making an important contribution to how we understand and support older adults and their families.”

Dr. Louise Racine (PhD), associate dean, research and graduate studies at the College of Nursing, believes that Ribeiro’s work exemplifies scholarly excellence.

“This award recognizes not only the exceptional achievement in earning her PhD, but also the meaningful impact of her research and the contributions she will continue to make to the nursing profession,” she said. “We are incredibly proud of her work and accomplishments.”

Dr. Roslyn M. Compton (PhD), associate professor in the College of Nursing and Ribeiro’s doctoral supervisor, said that “Ribeiro’s work bridges academia and practice while pointing to future directions for the integration of PhD-prepared nurses in caring with older adults across health-care settings where scholarly knowledge and clinical practice meet.”

Currently, Ribeiro is working with several organizations with the goal of supporting a more inclusive approach to care with people living with dementia and their families, including the Saskatchewan Long Term Care Network, BetterLTC, Samaritan Place, Crossmount Memory Café, Sherbrooke Community Centre, and Golden Health Care Management Inc.

Through the development of educational modules, coaching, and other learning materials for long-term care staff, Ribeiro is contributing to thoughtful, relational care across Saskatchewan and beyond.