Grant: Project Grant - PA: Early Career Investigator Prize in Research in Aging

More than half a million people in Canada are living with dementia, and this number will grow as the population ages. Where people live-their neighbourhoods, services, and social connections-shapes their health and ability to remain at home. While interest in dementia-inclusive communities is growing, it remains unclear what this looks like in practice or how supports should adapt over time as dementia progresses. This five-year study will generate knowledge about how communities can better support people living with dementia to age in place as their needs change over time. In partnership with a Community Action Group of people with lived experience, we will follow 60 individuals recently diagnosed with dementia and living at home in three regions of southwestern British Columbia. Participants will take part in in-depth interviews at multiple points, with regular check-ins to capture key transitions. This longitudinal approach will show how community experiences, supports, and challenges evolve across the dementia journey. Community mapping workshops will identify local assets and gaps affecting participation and well-being. People living with dementia will be central to the research, both as participants and as members of to Community Action Group, who will help shape the study design, interpret findings, and guide how results are shared. To support impact, we will convene a Knowledge Translation Community of Practice bringing together people with lived experience, researchers, community organizations, and health leaders to share findings and inform action. We will also co-develop an interactive Dementia-Inclusive Knowledge Website with practical recommendations and community mapping outputs. By focusing on evolving needs over time, this study will provide actionable guidance to help communities become more inclusive, responsive, and sustainable for people living with dementia.