Women’s Age Lab Newsletter | Winter 2024 |
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| | As we step into 2024, we're eager to continue our journey toward a more inclusive healthcare system and society, where the well-being of older women remains our focus. Our guiding question remains simple yet profound: "What about older women?" It shapes our approach, inspiring targeted interventions and solutions. Committed to bridging the sex/gender and age data gap, we're reimagining aging in place, optimizing therapies, promoting social connections, and addressing ageism with a gender lens. Through evidence-based research, we're changing perceptions and actions towards older women. Here's to a year of shared growth, understanding, and celebration of the resilience and wisdom that aging brings. | | | Navigating Medication Awareness for a Healthier Tomorrow As we embark on a new year, let's shift our focus beyond diet and exercise to a critical aspect of well-being: medication awareness. In Canada, two-thirds of those aged 65 or older are prescribed five or more medications yearly, elevating the risk of polypharmacy, the use of five or more medications. Our latest research, detailed in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, unveils the complexities of prescribing cascades – situations where medications create side effects which are misinterpreted as a new medical condition, leading to the inappropriate beginning of a new drug therapy. These cascades impact health, emphasizing the need for proactive medication management. As patients or caregivers, it is important to maintain a detailed medication list, noting start dates and reasons for use of the medication. Regularly review this with healthcare providers to minimize risks. Let's empower ourselves and our communities for healthier tomorrows. |
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| | Association between language proficiency and wait time for hip fracture surgery in Ontario We're thrilled to share that we have been awarded funding by PSI Foundation for our Resident Research application, led by Dr. Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, focusing on the association between non-English language preference and wait times for hip fracture surgery in Ontario. This population-based study aims to address critical gaps in understanding disparities related to surgery delays, complications, and post-hospital care. As we delve into the impact of language discordance on healthcare processes, we're committed to advancing equitable care for Ontario's aging, multilingual population. Grateful for this support, we look forward to making meaningful strides in healthcare innovation and inclusivity. Stay tuned for updates on our journey towards a more equitable future in healthcare. |
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| | | One Year of Progress on our NORC Project Celebrating a year of progress, our Healthy Cities Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC) research project is thriving. NORCs, defined as communities housing a significant concentration of older adults (e.g., aged 55-plus apartment buildings), provide a unique environment for aging in the right place. Unlike purpose-built facilities that are centered around care, NORCs were not designed to provide health or social services. Our project, in partnership with the NORC Innovation Centre (NIC) and Barrie Housing among others, aims to research and evaluate a program supporting older adults in NORCs to age well in their chosen community. Part of the research takes place in Barrie, where our NORC initiative is gearing up with appointing a NORC Coordinator and the collaboration with the Barrie Public Library, where a dedicated librarian will support our project. With the support of our partners at NIC, we will begin actively engaging residents in piloting data collection tools, adjusting our research design based on their valuable feedback and that of the NIC team. Join us in marking this milestone, fostering health, wellbeing, and equitable aging in naturally occurring retirement communities. |
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| | Staff Highlight Altea Kthupi is a Ph.D. student at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Currently a trainee at the Women's Age Lab within the Women's College Hospital, her research focuses on exploring pharmacotherapy equity for older women. By applying intersectionality theory to geriatric medicine, Altea seeks to understand the complex layers of intersecting inequities in pharmacotherapy. This endeavor builds upon her previous work as a Research Coordinator at Women's Age Lab, where she laid a strong foundation for her current academic and research trajectory.
Welcome Amy! Amy Ly is a Research Coordinator III with the Women's Age Lab. She received her Master of Science in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology from the University of Toronto, where she also completed her Bachelor of Science with honours. Amy has extensive experience in implementation science, community-based research and clinical research. At Women's Age Lab, she is actively involved in the Prescribing Cascade and the NORCs project. Her goal is to collaborate with the team to contribute to findings that enhance the well-being of older women.
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| | | Solo Seniors: How to age alone and well Actionable advice to stay in control, secure, and connected The number of Canadians living to 100 and beyond is increasing exponentially. If you add to that Canada’s 48% divorce rate and women outliving men by 4.4 years on average, most of us will spend a portion of our senior years alone. That said, there is a difference between being alone and feeling lonely. While loneliness can be as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, aging alone can also be fulfilling with the right planning and support systems in place. Check out this talk moderated by Leanne Kaufman, President and CEO of Royal Trust with Women’s Age Lab’s Drs. Paula Rochon and Rachel Savage, and elder caring expert Audrey Miller as they explore what it means for our mental, physical, and financial wellbeing to age alone - and how we can stay secure, in control, connected, and healthy - well into our later years. | | This event is taking place on the BrightTALK platform. If this is your first BrightTALK event, you will need to provide your name, email and password of choice. | | | WCH Community Voices Women’s College Hospital is on a journey to revolutionize healthcare for a healthier, more equitable world and we want you to be a part of it. We are focusing on listening to the voices of women and individuals who are often neglected in research. We want to hear from women, trans women, trans men or non-binary individuals, 16 years of age or older who are living or studying in Ontario. The results of this study will be used to understand what needs aren’t being met in the current healthcare landscape. It will help shape WCH’s strategy and inform the development of new programs and services to ensure we continue to provide the best possible care, and support future research on the delivery of healthcare to diverse communities. The Community Voices survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and will ask questions related to your identity, and your experience accessing healthcare in Ontario. The survey collects your answers anonymously and confidentially. Your voice is important and can help us shape the future of care at Women’s College Hospital. | | | | We have recently launched some new social media accounts, where we are dedicated to sharing evidence-based insights and fostering a community passionate about healthy aging for women. Please follow us on:
Facebook: PaulaRochon Instagram: @rochonpaula
Follow along as we navigate the realms of knowledge, professional tips, and insights into healthy aging—made accessible not only to researchers and healthcare professionals but also to older women and the general public. If you're not already following, we'd also like to invite you to connect on our other platforms:
Twitter (X): @rochonpaula LinkedIn: PaulaRochon
Here's to a year of shared insights, collaboration, and positive connections. Looking forward to engaging with you in this new digital space! | | | |
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