Research Team

Dr. Arlene Astell | PhD CPsychol

Arlene’s research lies across the intersections of psychology, computer science, engineering and healthcare. Specifically, her focus is on developing interventions to maximize people’s cognitive abilities as they age and minimize the impact of impairments associated with conditions such as dementia. This involves working closely with older adults as users of technology, as well as their families, formal caregivers and organisations that support ageing. Arlene’s research involves transdisciplinary collaboration and user-centred design practices to create and implement usable and useful solutions in real world situations. She is current Chair of the US Alzheimer’s Association Technology Professional Interest Area, leads AGEWELL’s Work Package 1 on User needs and has extensive national and international partners and networks, including CCNA and AGE-WELL.

For more information visit: https://www.date-lab.com/

Dr. Jennifer Boger | PhD PEng

For more information visit: https://uwaterloo.ca/bioengineering-biotechnology/about/people/jboger

Dr. Josephine McMurray | MRT, MBA, PhD, FBTM

Dr. Josephine McMurray is a Canadian researcher using mixed methods to explore critical societal issues at the nexus of business, technology and health/aging. She was awarded tenure in 2018 and is an Associate Professor at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economic in the Business Technology Management program. She received her PhD in Health Studies and Gerontology from the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo in 2013. Previously she worked in the private and not-for-profit sectors for over 20 years, primarily as a front line clinical technologist and manager in the primary and acute healthcare sectors. She is a Co-Investigator on the AgeWell National Centre of Excellence project, and her research as co-lead on the AgeWell DRiVE initiative investigates the critical factors that support the development of regional health innovation ecosystems. Dr. McMurray’s current research includes funding for a clinical trial and economic analysis of a novel technology that screens older adults for mild cognitive impairment from the OCE Health Technologies Fund, and SSHRC Insight Development Grants exploring the use of smartphone-enabled survey applications and geo-location data to determine situational context impacts the willingness to share in-situ patient experience data, the influence of intelligent non-human agents on human behavior in domestic environments, and the adoption of intelligent assistive devices by older adults. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally.

For more information visit: https://www.drive-health-ecosystems.com/

Dr. Catherine Burns | MASc, BASc, PhD

Catherine M. Burns is Professor in Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada where she directs her research lab, the Advanced Interface Design Lab and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Human Factors and Healthcare Systems. Catherine is well known for her work in Cognitive Work Analysis, Ecological Interface Design and the development of decision support systems. In this area she has contributed over 250 publications and is the co-author of seven books. She is a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Catherine’s recent research projects have been exploring how naval crews work with data fusion systems, how people might work with artificial intelligence systems, interactions with automated vehicles, and support for improved medical decision making.

For more information visit: https://uwaterloo.ca/bioengineering-biotechnology/

Dr. AnneMarie Levy | PhD Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Science

AnneMarie is an accomplished researcher that studies the behavioural and neurobiological basis of learning and memory as it relates to mood and addictive disorders. She earned her Master of Science and PhD in Psychology specializing in Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Science where her work focused on standardizing methodologies for evaluating the abuse liability of foods. She has developed novel surgical and experimental procedures to improve the evaluation of foods with addictive potential. She is a postdoctoral fellow with the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University pursuing her interests in the health care of aging populations, and particularly those coping with cognitive decline. She is responsible for overseeing research activities for the Developing Regional Health innovation Ecosystems (DRiVE) project funded by the AGE-WELL National Centre of Excellence, is an HQP with AGE-WELL, and manages the implementation of an Ontario Centres of Excellence (Health Technologies Fund) grant evaluating a novel technology that screens for cognitive impairment in older adults. AnneMarie also co-created and contributes to the Delirium Care Network, a not for profit that raises awareness of the consequences of delirium in the elderly where she curates research for an active twitter account and website.

HPQs:

Kristina Kokorelias

Kristina Kokorelias is in the 4th year of her PhD program in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Jill Cameron. Her primary research interest is to understand how family caregivers use services to support their caregiving role across the disease trajectory. Kristina’s PhD research includes a study of family caregivers to individuals with Alzheimer ’s disease to understand caregiving phases and caregivers’ corresponding needs for support across the disease trajectory.

She is currently serving as the policy analyst for the Cog@Work study focusing on an analysis of current legal and policy frameworks/legislations and lex ferenda policy recommendations to motivate organization commitments to support people with MCI and Dementia in the workplace.

Logan Reis

Logan Reis is a full-time health studies undergraduate student with a minor in gerontology. His research experience includes working for multiple research centers and programs in the fields of health studies, systems design engineering, and co-operative education. Through these positions he has garnered experience in writing manuscripts for peer review and research grants for project funding, performing quantitative and qualitative analysis, conducting observational field notes and interviews with research participants. His areas of expertise are in health of older adults, with a focus on dementia and other mild cognitive impairments. His systems design research has also sparked interest in what assistive technologies exist to improve health and prevent functional decline in the aging population.

Agasan Thiyagasoruban

Agasan Thiyagasoruban is a full-time business administration student with a concentration in marketing. His experience includes social media marketing, content creation, and advertising which he hopes to leverage in order to spread awareness for MCI and Dementia in the workplace. By creating awareness, he plans to garner interest, spread information, and ultimately be a part of a solution which helps people. Through gaining experience in multiple firms and organizations, he has also developed an understanding of creating systems, programs, and regulations from an employer perspective. With an aging population and workforce, he plans to utilize his skillset to help workers and businesses succeed.

Kaylee Mak

Kaylee Mak is a full-time political science graduate student. Her experience includes working as a research assistant to University of Toronto Social Work Department on the applicability of play intervention for assisting seniors living with dementia and a volunteer program coordinator at the long-term care centre. Through these previous experiences, she has developed a good understanding of seniors living with dementia from a social work practitioner’s perspective and long-term care services delivery model. Her previous experience also sparked interest in how existing employment legislation and government policy can better serve the needs of seniors living with mild dementia in the workplace.

Collaborators

Roger Marple

Roger Marple lives in Medicine Hat, Alberta and is the proud father and grandfather of 3 grown children and one grandson. He is an avid sports enthusiast, enjoys playing tennis and golf, loves to travel and knows his way around the kitchen with a real appetite for baking. Roger worked for Alberta Health Services and has worked in supply management in the south zone for over 23 years. He also has young onset Alzheimer’s disease. Roger was invited to join the Alzheimer Society of Canada’s advisory group to help raise awareness of the needs of people with dementia, including the specific needs of people living with young onset and/or early stage dementia. Roger also serves on the board of directors of the Alzheimer’s society of Alberta and North West Territories and is active in supporting dementia research in Canada.

Since his diagnosis in the summer of 2015, Roger has made it his mission to dispel myths about the disease and the stigma associated with dementia. He is a firm believer that you can live well with this disease regardless of challenges and is passionate about sharing his message of hope.

Advisory Board

Kay Ayres

Kay Ayres is a 70 year old Senior Citizen who has been self employed since the age of 24. She and her husband Bob Ayres opened the first bulk food store in Waterloo, ON, Canada in 1979, Ayres Nut and Baking Supply. It remains an active business today. After selling the bulk food store, they ran a stand at the farmers market. Sold this business, and then started a dog kennel where she spent the next 20 years breeding Bichon Friese and Havanese dogs. She describes her breeding job as the “love of her life” …where every morning she walked into the kennel and was “welcomed with 26 hugs”. Best job in the world.

In addition to being a successful serial entrepreneur, Kay also cared for those closest to her that developed dementia. Her 1st husband and business partner Bob suffered a stroke in 1999 and subsequently developed dementia. Kay’s mother, who she describes as her best friend developed dementia shortly thereafter and she was the primary caregiver for both her late husband and mother. Then in 2015 Kay has remarried a wonderful man named Don, who has since then developed dementia. As his dementia has progressed and his needs increased in this past year, Kay has resumed her role as primary care partner for Don.

Presently Kay is an active member of the Mount Forest Community where her and Don live, along with their energetic puppy Joey. She remains self-employed, running a financial (mortgage) business which she has run for over 20 years. Her first hand experiences with dementia has made Kay proactive about her own cognitive health. She keeps active, walking 5km a day with Joey. In 2018, Kay and 3 other ladies started an organization called 100 Women Who Care Rural Wellington, they currently have 118 members. She is also the president of the Mount Forest and District Seniors Group, that has 106 members, where Kay runs weekly activities for the group. She also spends as much time as she can with family and friends, her girlfriends are a big part of her weekly routine!

Ron Beleno

Ron is an active advocate in the dementia, caregiving, aging, and research communities. As a caregiver to his father who lived with Alzheimer's for 10+ years to age in place at home until January 2018, Ron utilized technology, community, creative strategies and access to research to support his family's life to live well and as best as possible. In recent years, Ron has been invited to do presentations locally and internationally for Alzheimer's Societies, communities, police, educators, innovators and corporations. He shares his knowledge on caregiving as we age, ways to use technology for caring, and living safely with dementia, especially for those at risk of wandering and going missing. He is an active member, advisor, and mentor to numerous organizations and educational institutions such as AGE-WELL NCE, Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) at Baycrest, City of Toronto's Seniors Strategy, SE Health (formerly known as Saint Elizabeth Health Care) and the Translational Research Program (TRP) at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine.

In his past, Ron has a background in Computer Sciences, Space and Communication Sciences, Marine Aquaculture, Life Coaching and Culinary Arts. He was the Founder and Executive Director of a Youth Career and Employment Centre that served over 30,000 young people, immigrants and career changers in the Toronto area during its' operation.

Twitter: @rb33canada

Nicole Didyk, MD

Dr. Didyk has been a geriatrician/internist in Kitchener-Waterloo since 2004. Prior to that, she worked in Calgary and Hamilton, after completing medical training and residency at McMaster University. Nicole is an associate clinical professor at McMaster and has been involved in medical education at the Waterloo Regional Campus.

Dr. Didyk’s passion for education has led to the launch of The Wrinkle, an online educational resource for older adults, their care partners, and health professionals. Catch up with her at www.thewrinkle.ca!

Krista James

Krista James is the National Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law, and a staff lawyer with the British Columbia Law Institute. Krista’s work is focused on legal and policy issues related to aging. Her practice includes legal research, policy analysis, and public legal education, involving stakeholders from healthcare, labour, finance, justice and other sectors. She has written and spoken on topics such as abuse and neglect of older adults, mental capacity, discrimination, and caregiving policy. Before joining the CCEL, Krista practiced labour law with a focus on human rights and disability issues. Over the years, Krista has worked with women’s centres and various non-profit community organizations serving low-income people in BC.

Candice Pollack

Candice Ashley Pollack is the Executive Director of the AGE-WELL National Innovation Hub APPTA. She divides her time at work about 60:40, between building policy partnerships and scribbling ideas on her 7-foot whiteboard. Her focus is finding creative ways to influence and innovate Canadian public policy for the aging population. Candice likes to be challenged in her work, and believes that your career should always provide you with new opportunities to learn. Her core leadership values include accountability (everyone should have a feeling of ownership over their work), integrity (treating others with fairness and respect is key to success), and adaptability (nothing gets better if it stays the same).

Candice completed a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) at McGill University, and is a member of the Law Society of New Brunswick. She is deeply passionate about human rights’ discourses, and has contributed to published works on youth participation rights, children’s rights in a globalized economy, and child protection rights. When she is not at work, Candice is either pretending to be a coffee/ wine/ craft beer aficionado, re-decorating her home, or hiking trails, in that order.

Ryan Thomson

Ryan is an experienced healthcare leader with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, his passion is using data analytics to develop service delivery models that improve quality of care. He has created sustainable, positive working relationships with diverse stakeholders inside and outside of the health sector. Ryan is a mentor to many, and successfully supported an employee with MCI/dementia from the time of diagnosis to the last days of work. His experience with this employee has driven him to learn more about this neurological condition and how employers can better support staff with MCI/dementia. Ryan has a Master's degree in Health Services Administration from Dalhousie University, and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Lethbridge in Agricultural Biotechnology.

Ryan is currently the Director, Contracting, Procurement and Supply Management Support Services – South Zone for Alberta Health Services. He has previously held the positions of Provincial Director, Research Administration, and Site Manager of the Chinook Regional Hospital, in Lethbridge, Alberta. He started his administrative career in 2006, as the Manager of Genetic Services at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta.

Interest Group and Partners

Content coming soon…

Our Team