Research

Changing nutrition care across Canada and around the world

December 2020 Food is central to our overall health and quality of life. Nutrition becomes even more important during times of recovery and healing, yet many older people in hospital don’t get the nutrients they need. Schlegel Research Chair Heather Keller is a global...

RIA announces $1.3M in funding for community programs supporting intergenerational partnerships

The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is pleased to announce over $1.3 Million has been awarded to community projects in Waterloo Region supporting older adults living with dementia. Supporting Inclusion through Intergenerational Partnership (SIIP) is a...

RIA receives $2M in federal funding to lead national dementia projects

La version française du communiqué se trouve sous la version anglaise. Nearly half a million Canadians are living with dementia, and that number will grow as the population ages. The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) was awarded $2M in federal funding to...

Sharing stories of the arts connects older adults across Canada

On September 24, 2020, Kate Dupuis, Schlegel Innovation Leader in Arts and Aging, hosted Arts and Aging Day Canada, a social media event dedicated to profiling artistic activities in older adults’ and their care partners across the nation. Supported by the Schlegel-UW...

Just released: Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults

Canada’s first 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults were released today and include information specific to those aged 65 and over. Schlegel Research Chair in Mobility and Aging Lora Giangregorio contributed to the development of these exciting new resources....

Executive director Josie d’Avernas announces her retirement from the RIA

It is with bittersweet emotions that the RIA team announces the planned retirement of Executive Director, Josie d’Avernas, effective July 2021. Josie joined the RIA in 2005 when the organization was founded, and held several leadership positions before taking the...

Sheridan College and the RIA continue innovative arts and aging partnership

Sheridan and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) are thrilled to announce the five-year extension of an innovative research partnership. The continuation of this commitment will support the ground-breaking research work of Kate Dupuis, Schlegel...

Working together for better dementia care resources

On September 21, around the world people celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day. This day is an opportunity to share stories of dementia and Alzheimer’s, to spread awareness and reduce the stigma people living with dementia face. The RIA is proud to work with an inspiring...

Using technology for a better understanding of sleep

Sleep is an essential part of health and well-being – it helps with cognition, mitigates depression and boosts the immune system. Age can impact sleep, and for older adults who live with dementia, sleep can become even more disrupted. Researchers at the RIA are...

International project will improve dementia diagnosis and post-diagnosis experience

There are too often significant gaps during and after a dementia diagnosis. On top of long wait-times to have testing done in the first place, family and care partners are often left in the dark about what their diagnosis is and where they can turn for help...

Filling the gap in information to improve spiritual care

There is no shortage of data when it comes to long-term care. Many researchers are conducting studies and compiling data sets across Ontario and Canada hoping to find patterns and new innovations from the information they collect. However, there is an area where there...

Bringing different generations together for health, well-being and understanding

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many issues to light as we all work hard to stay connected while practicing physical distancing. It’s become clear that many older adults in our communities are socially isolated, and have felt that way since long before the pandemic...

Expect the unexpected

Written by Jane Kuepfer, Schlegel Specialist in Spirituality and Aging. When asked a few months ago what advice they would give about aging, a group of seniors responded, “Expect the unexpected.” That advice is relevant to all of us this spring! In later life it...

Slowing down ultrasound imaging, speeding up innovation

Imagine a video replay of a goal scored at a hockey game. If you view the replay at full speed, you might not be able to tell exactly what happened before the goal. But when you slow down the video frame by frame, you can see who hit the puck in and when it crossed...

Small ideas make for big change when partners come together

Innovation often comes from a simple idea - one person wondering how things could be better and working with other innovators to find solutions. As ideas grow, so do partnerships and relationships and before you know it, a simple idea has grown into something that...

Protecting the well-being of Ontario’s long-term care workers during COVID-19

While most of us stay home to do our part to help stop the spread of COVID-19, team members who care for one of our most vulnerable populations – older adults – are still going to work at long-term care homes across the province. Even though they may be feeling...

COVID-19: Doing our part to flatten the curve

The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is committed to protecting the health and safety of our team, the older adult population we work with, our partners and the community. The RIA has been monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely, taking steps to...

Celebrating our female researchers: International Women’s Day 2020

At the RIA, we are proud to support our female researchers who are making great strides in a variety of aging research topics. From finding ways to enhance the diets of older adults, to developing exercise programs that keep us healthy as we age to exploring new ways...

RIA receives funding to promote social inclusion among older adults living with dementia

The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) announced its latest initiative to enhance life for those living with dementia in Waterloo Region at a public event hosted February 14, 2020. The Honourable Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors, was on hand to make the...

Helping children and older adults connect: Breaking down barriers and stereotypes with music

On Friday January 24, 2020, the Village of Riverside Glen long-term care home in Guelph hosted a “Lunch-and-Learn” event to showcase their innovative intergenerational music therapy program and discuss the benefits of the program for residents and members of the...