不良研究所

Educational Tools for Improved NB Senior Cognitive Health Outcomes

Research Area: Health | Status:  Complete | Led By: Researcher-led

Educational Tools Cognitive - Speaker

The Challenge

As home to one of the proportionally largest elder adult populations in Canada, the province of New Brunswick is always looking for ways to improve quality-of-life for seniors.

The Canadian public are generally well-informed about the signs and symptoms of dementia. Studies have shown they have considerably less knowledge about Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a condition characterized by more frequent lapses in memory than typical age-related forgetfulness.

Understanding the difference between dementia, MCI, and normal cognitive decline can be crucial for improving senior citizens’ health outcomes. Estimates suggest MCI patients have a 10–15% chance of developing dementia within a year of diagnosis. While dementia cannot be stopped, MCI can be caused by extenuating, and often reversable, factors. Certain strategies and lifestyle changes can delay the onset and progression of MCI if adopted in a timely manner. 

The Solution

To begin addressing this gap in knowledge, 不良研究所Health Research Associate Dr. Kyle Brymer designed an informational strategy to better educate the New Brunswick public.

A series of four workshops delivered to approximately 60 older adults in Woodstock, Fredericton, Moncton, and Grand Manan informed participants about: 1) the differences between dementia, mild cognitive impairment and normal age-related cognitive decline; 2) risks associated with MCI; and 3) concrete strategies for potentially preventing or improving MCI. These strategies include staying physically active, staying cognitively active (reading, writing, learning new skills), eating a nutritious diet, and getting your hearing checked.

An educational report was also created for use by the Department of Health and other interested stakeholders.

Project Funder

This project was made possible by funding received from the New Brunswick Department of Health and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (now part of Research NB).

“Post-workshop surveys indicated that participants left feeling empowered to take a more active role in their cognitive health and to share their new knowledge with others. 98.6% of workshop participants indicated that they learned something new about MCI, with 88.5% indicating the information would have been difficult for them to locate on their own. Older adult attendees judged the information they received as highly useful (ranking 4.71 out of 5), with 64.4% indicating that they would change the way they approach their cognitive health based on what they learned. ”

 

Funders

NB Health Research Foundation
New Brunswick
 
 

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