Grant: Network Catalyst Grant: Adding Life to the Late Years

Brain and joint health is essential for people to enjoy the best quality of life. It is particularly important for older people because cognitive impairment and chronic joint diseases are common in this population. Not only do these conditions affect people's quality of life, they are also expensive and can be fatal if not treated appropriately. Yet while there is effective prevention and treatment, their use has been slow and inconsistent. To improve public and healthcare providers' use of effective strategies to enhance brain and joint health, there is an increasing use of digital media to provide health-related services and treatment. Digital media includes social networking tools, mobile applications, and health tracking devices such as portable blood glucose monitors or pedometers. These tools provide flexibility and user-friendly methods for delivering 'just-in-time' functions or information when and where the user needs it. Working with community and health professional partners, we will do the following: •Find out ways to improve the use of effective prevention and treatment to promote brain and joint health. We will focus on physical activity for improving cognitive function and joint health, as well as the timely use of arthritis treatment. •Develop and test tools to improve the use of effective prevention and treatment by the public and health professionals. •Disseminate these tools to people who need and can benefit from them. We have assembled a network of 9 leading research programs, plus 4 consumer/healthcare organizations across Canada. By harnessing the engaging power of digital media to 'put research into action', this network will modernize the effort to improve the quality of life of older people for the 21st century.