Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

Canada is experiencing an unprecedented change in the make-up of its population, with seniors accounting for nearly 15 per cent of all Canadians. By 2036, nearly one in four Canadians will be age 65 or older. With rapid demographic change underway, there is a critical need for high-quality evidence to inform clinical, health and social policy decision-making that is directed towards improving the health and well-being of Canada's seniors. A strategic initiative of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging has brought together a team of 160 researchers and collaborators from across the country to answer the most pressing questions on aging. The goal is to develop a research platform that will enable state-of-the-art, interdisciplinary, population-based research and evidenced-based decision-making that will lead to better health and quality of life for Canadians. The CLSA collects information on the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and economic aspects of people's lives as they age. One area of particular focus is cardio/cerebrovascular domain, including stroke, hypertension, heart attack and angina. Through this Café Scientifique, leading health research experts will explore what the evidence says about how to maintain health and protect against age-related changes to the heart and blood vessels. This lively discussion will focus on the impacts of vascular aging and how scientific research is shedding new light on the prevention and management of related chronic diseases.