MEET THE TEAM
MARGOT SCHULMAN, B.A., D.I.D., B.I.D.
OWNER & CEO
INTERIOR DESIGNER & SOCIOLOGIST (GERONTOLOGY)
Margot Schulman has been an entrepreneur, interior designer, and sociologist (Gerontology) for more than 20 years. Through her full-service interior design firm, she transforms commercial and residential spaces and spearheads change for those with mobility or cognitive challenges. She offers innovative design solutions that celebrate aging and independence. Margot is passionate about caring for people and is committed to shifting cultural paradigms through advocacy, accessibility design, education, and strategic partnerships. She regularly presents at international conferences and workshops, such as Environments for Aging and is currently an Advisory Board Member for Aging in Place. Schulman Design is co-leading Calgary’s first Aging in Place | Home Modification Caregiver Omnimedia Conference in April 2019.
Margot draws from her experience with her brother, David, whose life was catastrophically altered at age 13 when he was in a cycling accident that resulted in a severe closed head injury and diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic. To gain a deeper understanding of what aging well looks like and to encourage intergenerational relationships, she lives in a seniors’ community with her children. She and her team members are trained facilitators of Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT®), an evidence-based dementia simulation training. She is a board member for the Elder Statesmen Group in Calgary, AB, that houses 90 low income elderly residents in two apartment blocks.
Margot believes that we all have an impact on society and how we choose to fuel positive change within a global ecosystem is firmly within our grasp. She is committed to shifting cultural paradigms by curating the aging spirit.
Regularly invited to speak and share my knowledge at international conferences and have been an annual attendee and speaker at the Environments for Aging Expo and Conference, “Optimizing the Aging Brain by Design. Austin, TX, Las Vegas, NV & Savannah, GA
Keynote speaker for the March of Dimes, Opening Doors, Calgary, AB.
Keynote speaker and panelist for Designing for Our Aging Population at SASHA conferences, Calgary, AB
Keynote speaker and panelist at Toronto’s Interior Design Show, Toronto, ON
Keynote speaker and panelist at the Omni Caregivers Home Modification conference, Toronto, ON
Keynote speaker and panelist at Calgary’s Vitality at Home conference
Seminar attendee with Eloy Van Hal of De Hogeweyk
Seminar attendee Bethany Home The Future of Senior Living
Speaker and presenter at various schools and Universities.
ASCHA (Alberta Seniors Communities & Housing Association) member and conference attendee.
Two Publications in Dementia Connections Magazine. “Designing for Dementia, New approaches to care-facility design help improve the quality of life for people with dementia” The second on Aging in Place and Home Modification Tips.
Virtual Dementia Tour facilitator. VDT® is a scientifically proven, evidence-based method of building a greater understanding of dementia using patented sensory tools and instruction.
Toured and liaised with the Founder of the De Hogeweyk Dementia Care Village in Holland.