Grant: Summer Program in Aging

There are approximately 55 million people with dementia worldwide, and in the following 30 years, this number is expected to triple. Dementia has a significant impact on the quality of life of PWD and family care partners due to the combination of mental, physical, financial challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of an international project, Forward with Dementia, funded by the European Union and CIHR, we ask people with dementia and care partners in five countries: Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Australia, about their quality of life and the care they receive. Specifically, I will focus on dementia diagnosis, care plans and coping strategies, and the impact of the pandemic (e.g. worry about health, depression, isolation, financial burden) on their quality of life. I am also interested to understand how factors such as age, gender, race, immigration, rural-urban location, and living conditions affect quality of life. Although the quality of care provided to people with dementia is known to be insufficient, little is known about the impact of the quality of care on the quality of life of people with dementia and care partners. It is critical to understand the factors that influence this association to improve health and social services. The results of this research will help the development of recommendations in partnership with people with dementia and care partners, as well as healthcare professionals.