Project Status: Complete

Support from Northern Health, PHSA, UNBC

In response to needs identified by residents residing in a long-term care facility in Prince George, BC, our team of older adults, dieticians, long-term care facility staff and researchers have designed a gardening intervention aimed at promoting meaningful engagement among residents. We aim to pilot and test whether a gardening program can meet the identified needs of long-term care facility residents to improve their quality of life.

Project Status: Complete

Support from UBC

Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic age-related conditions, affecting 70-90% of long-term care (LTC) residents. This project will document barriers to effective communication for LTC residents who are deaf or hard of hearing and will identify behavioural, environmental, and technological strategies to overcome those barriers.

Project Status: Complete

Support from BC Support Unit

This project aims to improve care of health care users in rural, central and northern British Columbia by using the capacity of machine learning to make accurate predictions using individual-level data. Our system is designed to guide resource allocation (such as beds) in a way that accounts for the particular characteristics of the regions in which our partner organizations are responsible for healthcare .

Project Status: Current

Support from Rakuten Kobo

In long-term care facilities apathy is a common condition. This study is exploring the involvement in eBook clubs and reducing apathy. Residents and staff will be recruited from long-term care facilities in Northern BC and surveys will be conducted at baseline and follow-up to measure if the eBook club is effective.

Project Status: Current

Support from AGE-WELL

The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the implementation of a smart home technology approach (AgeTech) in the Aurora Home during the first year of operation. During this study, observations will be made on these new developments as they are used practically to help support the residents.

Project Status: Complete

Support from PHAC

CIRCA is a digital intervention developed in partnership with people living with dementia and caregivers (it is an electronic scrapbook that contains a selection of photos, music, and videos). CIRCA is now a tried and tested tool that provides social engagement and meaningful activity for people living with dementia and caregivers. Using CIRCA together changes caregiver’s perceptions of people with dementia and boosts their self- confidence as well as having a positive impact on caregiving relationships.

Project Status: Complete

Support from AGE-WELL

For people living with Essential Tremor or Parkinson’s Disease, tasks such as drinking water from a glass or brushing your teeth can be challenging. This project is a feasibility trial with the goal of assessing, in a rural and northern context, the acceptability and usability of the Steadi-One gloves for adults 50 or older and diagnosed with Essential Tremor or Parkinson’s Disease with tremor.

Project Status: Current

Support from the Public Health Agency of Canada

The DemSCAPE research project explores how best to create dementia-friendly neighbourhoods that will support persons living with dementia and their caregivers to remain meaningfully engaged in their communities. UNBC is leading the northern component of this interdisciplinary community-based study, which will focus on developing tools and guidelines supportive of dementia-friendly neighbourhoods and reflect the needs of individuals living with dementia and their caregivers in the north.

Project Status: Current

Support from Public Health Agency of Canada

The aim of the DREAM resources is to increase the quantity, quality, and variety of physical activity and healthy eating opportunities that include persons living with dementia. The DREAM website provides resources to educate and train people providing physical activity and healthy eating services in the community so that they can understand dementia, and learn to engage with and accommodate the needs of people living with dementia. It also provides resources that could be shared with people living with dementia and their care partners to increase knowledge and confidence regarding physical activity and healthy eating.

Project Status: Complete

Support from Northern Health, PHSA, UNBC

Telehealth has the potential to support the care of older adults and their desire to age at home by providing a videoconferencing connection to specialist geriatric care. The aim of this study was to compare telegeriatric and in-person geriatric consultation methods with respect to outcomes and costs.

Project Status: Complete

Support from Nak’azdli Whut’en

The Nak'azdli Whut'en, a First Nations community in Northern British Columbia, recognized the importance of preserving Elders’ wisdom and sharing cultural knowledge and oral traditions across generations. Through storytelling, the Elders shared their wisdom and knowledge.

Project Status: Complete

Support from Northern Health

Intergenerational support in the adoption of new technologies has important implications for helping older persons to remain independent and to age in place, in both age-friendly cities and in rural communities. The findings contribute to the growing literature on intergenerational influences and the impacts of technology use in later life.