March 17, 2023, TORONTO —   led by researchers at 91��ɫ has found a link between shift work and frailty among middle-aged and older workers in Canada, especially for women on rotating shifts. 

“We cannot ignore the negative health outcomes related to shift work, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke and certain cancers,” says 91��ɫ Faculty of Health PhD student Durdana Khan, a trainee with the 91��ɫ Centre for Aging and Research and Education. “Our study is the first to investigate the relationship between shift work and frailty for middle-age and older adults.” 

For the study, which will be published in the May edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Khan, along with 91��ɫ professors Heather Edgell, Hala Tamim and Michael Rotondi, and immunologist and epidemiologist Chris Verschoor of the Health Sciences North Research Institute, looked at 48,000 participants across Canada from the  and followed up at three years to measure for frailty. 

Frailty is defined as someone’s likelihood towards disease and death. The researchers used an index that looks at 52 factors that can likely lower lifespan, including depression, osteoarthritis, history of heart attacks and mobility issues. Mildly frail people are considered those that have at least five factors. Having at least 11 factors would put people in the ‘very frail’ category. 

The study found one in five adult Canadians were involved in shift work, defined as work that falls outside of a nine-to-five schedule. People who had a history of shift work had a higher likelihood of frailty compared to people who only worked daytime hours. More than one in four were found to be mildly frail, and seven per cent were very frail. Women whose longest job consisted of rotating shift work were especially likely to be considered frail, with more than 31 per cent falling in the mildly frail category and nearly 11 per cent classified as very frail.

Circadian rhythms are moderated by sunlight exposure. When sunlight hits the eyes, signals are sent to the pineal gland in the brain – triggering certain hormones and responses that regulate alertness, mood and appetite, and a lack of light sets off other responses. In shift workers, this process is dysregulated, and research suggests this disruption can contribute to a host of health issues.  

“Although these findings are preliminary, they suggest that circadian disruption may play an important role in frailty, and this warrants further investigation,” says Khan. 

This latest study builds on Khan and Edgell’s  that suggests that shift work may be linked to delayed menopause. 

“The circadian rhythm influences your brain's ability to control your hormones, which can influence your menopause,” explains Edgell. “So, there are a lot of physiological changes that can occur because of shift work.”

While women were more likely to be frail, health research overall shows women to be more resilient to succumbing to disease than men, so this study does not necessarily suggest higher mortality. Still, it does point to sex-based differences that would be important to consider as more women do work outside a nine-to-five schedule, says Khan, who adds that keeping on top of exercise and nutrition can combat some of the negative effects. 

“We can’t make shift work go away, but we can reverse frailty to a degree,” she concludes. 

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ’s fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario’s Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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New research initiative will focus on the aging brain and the complex care needs of older adults with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment

March 16, 2023—Toronto, Ontario—Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dementia is having a substantial and growing impact in Canada and around the world. Based on current trends, by 2030, the number of people living with dementia will nearly double.

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the best quality of life for the aging population in Canada by addressing the challenges of aging and brain health issues, including dementia.

Today, the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Seniors, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced a $38.3 million investment over five years through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Aging for a new Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging (BHCIA) Research Initiative.

This new initiative will support the latest areas of research to study the brain as it ages and identify what can be done to reduce the risks of dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment. Through the development and launch of strategic funding opportunities, the initiative also aims to improve the care and services for people living with cognitive impairment, including dementia as well as improve the wellbeing of their caregivers and care providers.

The BHCIA Research Initiative is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and partners, including the  and its , the  , the , the , the  and the .

Quotes

“As we all age, protecting our safety while maintaining our wellbeing is crucial for a good quality of life. Through this new Research Initiative, we are supporting better care and services for those living with cognitive impairment, including dementia while ensuring the wellbeing of their care providers and caregivers. By supporting innovative projects and research across the country, we are helping improve health outcomes for people living with brain health issues, including dementia, and contributing to a better quality of life for them, their families, and caregivers.”

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health

“We all know someone affected by dementia or other cognitive impairments and the profound challenges it poses for seniors, their caregivers and families. Research is critical to help us to find better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat dementia, and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by it. By doing so, we can create more inclusive communities where people living with cognitive impairment and their caregivers feel valued and supported."

The Honourable Kamal Khera
Minister of Seniors

“Every hour nine seniors are diagnosed with dementia in Canada. Our government is committed to improving the quality of life of those affected by neurodegenerative diseases by investing in research that will make the strongest possible impact on the health care of Canadians, particularly seniors. This $38.3 M funding for the BHCIA research initiative through the CIHR aims to transform our understanding of brain aging & dementia and improve healthcare providers’ approach to brain health care.”

Francesco Sorbara
Member of Parliament for Vaughan-Woodbridge

“Through the CIHR Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging Research Initiative, researchers will identify and address challenges and knowledge gaps related to age-related cognitive impairment, and bring us closer to understanding, preventing and effectively treating dementia and other forms of cognitive disease. From knowledge creation to implementation, this research will transform current approaches to care for those living with dementia and support for their caregivers.”

Dr. Jane Rylett
Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Aging

"Given that most Canadians are in some way affected by dementia, this CIHR research initiative is significant. It joins together the collective strengths and concerns of an impressive array of government and non-profit partners, and it will provide researchers a platform to think creatively about ways to reduce dementia’s prevalence and improve access to care services. Importantly, it will consider the well-being of family-and-friend care partners, who are foundational to dementia care, but receive less attention to their own needs than is warranted."

Dr. Tamara Daly
Director, 91��ɫ Centre for Aging Research and Education

Quick facts

• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and contributes to a majority of dementia cases.
• The BHCIA Research Initiative is one of several ways CIHR supports brain health and dementia research. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, CIHR invested more than $212M in dementia research, including $49M in 2020-21 alone.
• In 2023, CIHR will establish the Dementia Research Funders Alliance to enhance collaboration and the research impacts of the BHCIA Research Initiative. The Alliance will bring together brain health and dementia funding partners in Canada to identify and act upon common interests in brain health and dementia research, highlight research gaps and needs, and circulate the knowledge gained through dementia research.
• Canada’s National Dementia Strategy, released in 2019, aims to prevent dementia, advance therapies and find a cure, and improve the quality of life of people living with dementia and their caregivers. The strategy relies on the collaborative efforts of many organizations and individuals across the country including federal, provincial, territorial, and local governments; advocacy groups; researchers; health care providers; and academics. The Government of Canada will continue to work collaboratively with these organizations and individuals on the implementation of the strategy.

Related products

Associated links

Contacts

Guillaume Bertrand
Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
613-941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

At the  (CIHR) we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada's health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

Reposted from .

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91��ɫ researchers available to comment on how ever-advancing tech will impact our social and cognitive futures, and why decision-making shouldn’t be left solely in hands of technocrats

TORONTO, January 10, 2023 — From the future of aging and long-term care to how artificial intelligence can both help and hinder our brains, to why fully autonomous driving is still years away, 91��ɫ researchers are available to comment on the impacts of ever-advancing tech in 2023 and beyond.

Looking at how new technologies affect our cognitive abilities and social interactions – both now and in the future – is crucial and sound decision-making will require a multidisciplinary approach, say 91��ɫ professors and Shayna Rosenbaum.

Elder, with 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health and the Lassonde School of Engineering, is an expert on human and computer vision. He is also the co-director of 91��ɫ’s nascent Centre for AI and Society, which is engaged in both the research and development of new AI technologies and in studying how they can best be integrated into society.  

Elder is available to speak on:

• How humans and AI systems perceive objects and implications for autonomous driving and pedestrian safety: A Tesla vehicle once infamously drove itself into an overturned truck. Elder can explain why differences in how AI and humans perceive objects may have contributed to the accident, how neuroscience research can potentially lead to more reliable AI systems, and the importance of research in human-machine interaction for driving systems.
• Social robots, coming to a long-term care home near you: They’ll start with basic cleaning duties and then move to more complex care tasks, says Elder, who is available to speak on recent advances and why this technology may arrive sooner than we think.
• Why an integrative approach is needed when adopting new technologies: Work being done at the Centre for AI and Society is bringing together 91��ɫ experts from multiple disciplines to tackle questions that are as philosophical in nature as they are technological.

Rosenbaum, also with 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health and Associate Director of 91��ɫ's new Centre for Integrative and Applied Neuroscience, is a neuropsychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, and is an expert in memory, spatial navigation, and cognitive decline. The new year is a time to reflect on what’s transpired and what’s to come ahead – Rosenbaum’s research shows the two are inexorably linked, and that new tech can both help and hinder our brains.

Rosenbaum is available to speak on:

• The future of aging: How 91��ɫ research into VR and aging can help older adults age in place and adapt to new environments more easily. Can VR also be used to create novel and enriched environments that will stave off cognitive decline?
• 'Theory of Mind' and the 3D world: How we make ‘predictions’ by inferring the thoughts and feelings of others and how our increased reliance on technology, from texting to virtual meetings, might affect this.
• The hippocampus: A brain structure that is necessary for memory encoding, consolidation and spatial navigation that is highly vulnerable to age-related decline and neurological issues.
• Episodic memory: What it is and when impaired episodic memory function impedes the ability to think about the future.
• New research on urban analytics, AI and making new memories: to explain how we create prototypes of new environments in our brains based on old ones and the impacts of technologies like GPS and driverless cars on the brain and our understanding of the spaces we occupy.

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ’s fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario’s Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ experts ‘predict’ impacts of AI and tech for 2023 and beyond appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Review examines aging and feeling valued versus expendable during COVID-19

TORONTO, June 16, 2020 – Isolation prescribed to stop the spread of COVID-19 is not only adding to the stress and distress of older people, but events related to the pandemic are reinforcing ageism, say researchers at 91��ɫ.

A new commentary and review led by 91��ɫ Psychology , sparked in part by accounts of terrible conditions in long-term care homes, examines the importance of treating older people in ways that enhance their sense of mattering rather than making them feel expendable. Protective factors such as mattering are vitally important given evidence that levels of suicidality among the elderly have exponentially increased during the pandemic.

The review is the first comprehensive and contemporary review of mattering among older adults and looks at how it protects their mental and physical health and shields them from loneliness. Researchers conducted a systematic search using multiple search engines, including Google Scholar, to identify any relevant research conducted on mattering among older people.

“Those older people who are able to retain a sense of mattering in the pandemic should be doing better than those who have not been able to do so,” says Flett, lead author of the review and Canada Research Chair in Personality and Health. “These individuals will benefit enormously from interactions and interventions that make them feel valued but conditions that promote feelings of not mattering can add to feelings of loneliness and undermine their health and well-being, especially during the pandemic."

Researchers say mattering is highly predictive in terms of protecting the mental and physical health of older adults. By highlighting specific investigations in the review, researchers explain why mattering protects older people from loneliness and social disconnection. One of the key themes emerging from the research review and from that of other investigators, says Flett, is that given the risks that face vulnerable older people, it is vitally important to promote positive protective factors and competencies that heighten their resilience and engagement. Current events that convey a sense of being expendable and unimportant have added to the urgency of the issue of mattering among seniors, according to the research.

“The crisis in long-term care homes has highlighted a lack of resources and planning which have left too many older people and staff members in vulnerable and potentially life-threatening situations,” says Flett.  “What is also being missed is the opportunity to learn and benefit from the survival resources and resiliency factors cultivated by older adults who have lived through times of war, oppression, discrimination, and financial collapse.”

Flett and co-author Marnin J. Heisel, a former PhD student in Flett’s lab, outline ways to modify existing interventions and suggest key directions for future research. They also describe "the Clarence Challenge," which is based on the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." The Clarence Challenge was developed in their own work to have retiring men generate ways in which their lives matter to the people around them, their community, and to themselves.

Gordon Flett is Director of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research at 91��ɫ where he specializes in the role of personality factors in depression, health problems, and interpersonal adjustment. His research adopts a lifespan perspective, studying the role of personality in health and mental health in children, adolescents, middle-aged individuals, and the elderly. Heisel and Flett have created the first measure to assess suicide ideation among the elderly.

Flett is available for interviews and can speak to the following as it relates to older adults:

• How the fear of not mattering can impact health and well-being in older adults
• How the loss of mattering can contribute to depression due not only to loss of mattering but also a perceived loss of self
• The role of mattering in protecting against loneliness and social disconnection
• Understanding the association between mattering and psychological well-being, or in contrast, between not mattering and depression
• How mattering plays a role in positive physical health outcomes

Aging and Feeling Valued Versus Expendable During The Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond:  A Review and Commentary of Why Mattering is Fundamental to the Health and Well-Being of Older Adults,��was published in .

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

Media contact:
Anjum Nayyar, 91��ɫ Media Relations, cell 437-242-1547,��anayyar@yorku.ca

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