Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

As our Canadian population ages, there are increasing numbers of elderly adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other acquired forms of memory impairment. AD is one of the most common forms of dementia, and there are several risk factors that could potentially be modified to reduce its development. The number of frail older adults undergoing surgical procedures in Canada is rising, and early research has identified a possible connection between surgery and the use of general anesthesia that may contribute to an increased risk of developing AD. Frailty is also a rising concern when determining appropriate medical procedures in elderly populations. The objectives in my study include examining possible associations between exposure to surgical procedures, anesthesia and patient's frailty status with the future risk of developing dementia in elderly populations. Furthermore, we will explore any associations between the use of different types of anesthesia, as well as the patient's level of frailty when undergoing surgery. Our project is the first study to use information directly from the Canadian health care system to explore this clinical topic. With this information, we are looking to ways to identify the risk of dementia following surgical procedures and populations of older, frail adults who are at increased risk. Overall, my project will help to improve clinical outcomes in the elderly that undergo surgical procedures by targeting modifiable risk factors in dementia development. We aim to improve the care of older adults in Canada and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment following surgery.