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  • Observational Study
    Online

    What is this Study about?

    Assistive technology products are things that help you function or carry out activities more easily by yourself. Products could be any devices, equipment, instruments, or software. Examples could be mobile phone apps that provide calendar reminders, switches that turn off stoves, or walkers.

    Assistive technology services are activities or resources that help you to use or maintain assistive technology products. Services refer to assessment, training, and maintenance that help with choosing, using, and repairing assistive technology products.

    Getting these products and services means having to contact different organizations. If these products and services could be bundled as one unit, it may help persons with dementia get them more easily and potentially reduce costs. Right now, policymakers need more information about providing assistive technologies as bundles.

    The purpose of the study is to learn about your experiences with accessing and using products and services for managing dementia. This information will help us to know what should be included in bundles.

    For persons with dementia: We would like to interview you now to understand your past and current experiences. We would also like to interview you each year for up to three years (for three interviews) to see how your experiences change over time. You may leave at any time.

    For care partners: The purpose of the surveys is to learn about your views and experiences with accessing and using products and services for managing dementia. This information will help us to know what should be included in bundles. If interested, you may also take part in longitudinal interviews (two interviews, one annually) after the initial survey in year one to see how your experiences changed over time. You may leave at any time.

    For healthcare providers: The purpose of the surveys is to learn about your views and experiences with assisting persons with dementia and care partners to access and use products and services for managing dementia. This information will help us to know what should be included in bundles and how delivery may be improved. If interested, you may also take part 6 / 10 in longitudinal interviews (two interviews, one annually) after completing the initial survey in year one to see how your experiences changed over time. You may leave at any time.

    Eligibility Criteria

    People with dementia:

    - Are a Canadian resident who can speak English or French

    - Live at home (not care home)

    - Able to respond to questions about yourself and your assistive technology product and service use

    - Have a score 25 or below on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (will be conducted by research team prior to interview)

    - Able to provide consent (or assent, with a substitute decision maker providing consent)

    Care partners:

    - Are a Canadian resident who can speak English or French

    - Family or friend who provides 5 hours or more of support a week for someone with dementia living at home (not a care home)

    - Able to respond to questions about yourself and your assistive technology product and service use - Able to provide consent Healthcare providers:

    - Are a Canadian resident who can speak English or French

    - A healthcare provider (such as physician, nurse, therapist, social worker) who works with 8 / 10 persons with dementia

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In-Person

    What is this Study about?

    Hearing loss is the third most common chronic health condition among people 65 and older and increases the risk of social isolation, depression, communication difficulties and dementia. Dementia risk may be reduced through hearing rehabilitation, and it is critical to develop tools for identifying hearing loss and its impact on communication. The Hearing and Functioning in Everyday Life Questionnaire (HFEQ) is a measure to identify hearing loss and everyday life functioning, not yet been evaluated for people with combined hearing loss and cognitive impairment. To bridge this gap, the aim is to evaluate the HFEQ for this group. The study has a cross-sectional observational study design. Adults over 60 years, with hearing loss and with and without cognitive impairment will be recruited. Data collection will include a cognitive and hearing assessment, assessment of conversation effectiveness and efficiency, hearing and general health history and five questionnaires (HFEQ, the Life-Space questionnaire, the Social Functioning in Dementia scale, and the PROMIS anxiety and depression scales).

    Eligibility Criteria

    • Are 60 years or older

    • Have hearing loss

    Experience cognitive complaints (subjective memory complaints, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia) or,

    • Experience no changes in cognitive function

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    Online

    What is this Study about?

    The aim of this study is to understand how people with dementia, family/friend carers and healthcare providers experience the Driving and Dementia Roadmap website. This website contains resources to help people in the decision-making about when to stop driving and adjust to life after driving. We are also interested in knowing how the Driving and Dementia Roadmap may impact how people manage stopping to drive. The findings of this study will be used to improve and ensure that resources, like the Driving and Dementia Roadmap will continue to be available for people with dementia and those who support them. 

    Eligibility Criteria

    You are eligible to participate if you are a: 

    a) Person living with dementia who is still driving or has stopped driving within the past 2 years 

    b) Family member or friend who is caring for or providing support to a person with dementia who is still driving orhas stopped driving within the past two years 

    c) Healthcare provider (physician, occupational therapist, nurse practitioner) who cares for people living with dementia 

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In person

    What is this Study about?

    This study explores Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) as a potential treatment for mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, the mild electrical stimulation is delivered to a part of the brain called the Pedunculopontine Nucleus (PPN), which helps regulate cognitive and sleep-related brain rhythms. The trial will recruit a small group of participants to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of DBS-PPN in treating AD. The goal of this study is to see if targeting this part of the brain with DBS can help people living with mild AD improve their memory, thinking skills, and sleep quality.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Are 60 years or older
    -Have a diagnosis of mild Alzheimer's Disease
    -Are fluent in English
    -Have a personal caregiver willing to join the study

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In person and online

    What is this Study about?

    Help Us Improve Support for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

    We are inviting caregivers, healthcare providers, community organizations, and Alzheimer’s societies to take part in a research study focused on improving support for people caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

    What is this study about?
    We know that caregiving is a journey that changes over time, but many caregivers don’t have access to tools or services that meet their evolving needs. This study aims to change that by bringing together caregivers and professionals to co-create practical resources and tools that support caregivers through each stage of the disease.

    What will participation involve?
    Participation will mostly take place virtually and includes online surveys, focus groups, and/or one-on-one interviews through secure platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You’ll be asked about your experiences with caregiving and the services available to you. Later, we’ll host in-person co-design sessions to work together on building useful tools and guidance for caregivers.

    Why join?
    By participating, you’ll have the chance to reflect on your experience, identify gaps in current services, and help shape resources that better support caregivers like you. You may also learn about services you didn’t know existed. Your input will directly inform more responsive and timely support for caregivers and people living with Alzheimer’s.

    Eligibility Criteria

    1. Caregivers who are providing care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, particularly those in the following caregiving stages: o Monitoring initial symptoms o Navigating diagnosis o Assisting with instrumental and basic activities of daily living o Preparing for the future

    o Monitoring initial symptoms

    o Navigating diagnosis

    o Assisting with instrumental and basic activities of daily living

    o Preparing for the future

    2. Service providers (e.g., healthcare professionals, social workers, home care aides) who deliver Alzheimer’s related care or services to individuals in these caregiving stages

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In person and online

    What is this Study about?

    Many older adults start to experience poorer sleep quality as they age, which can be associated with worse memory and cognition. Previous studies have shown that sleep can be improved when quiet sounds are presented at the right times during slow-wave sleep. We are interested in whether we can improve sleep and associated memory and cognitive function using these sounds in older adults. Information gathered from this study will be used to inform whether quiet sounds presented during slow-wave sleep can improve sleep, memory, and cognitive function.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Are 60 and older with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI) You must be able to read, speak, or understand English.

     If you do not have:

    1) major psychiatric or neurological disorders

    2) moderate to severe depressive or anxiety symptoms

    (3) sleep disorders

    (4) serious medical illness

    (5) known stroke or transient ischemic attack

    (6) alcohol or substance abuse

    (7) a history of seizures

    (8) chronic use of psychoactive or hypnotic medications, or use of any medication that alters sleep

    (9) significant hearing loss or hearing aid use

    (10) untreated moderate or severe sleep apnea on a home sleep apnea test.

    Participants with well-controlled sleep apnea will be eligible to participate provided they are able to use their CPAP machine or other treatment device throughout the study

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In-Person

    What is this Study about?

    Thinking skills (also known as cognitive functions), change from younger to older adulthood. In this study we are investigating how these shifting architectures of cognition and brain function relate to one another, and how these brain and cognitive changes impact decision-making in younger and older adults.

    You may qualify to participate if you are: 1) 60 years of age or older, 2) right-handed, 3) in good health, 4) and have normal or corrected-to-normal vision. Participation will involve completing cognitive tasks, questionnaires, and non-invasive brain measurements using MRI. If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact [email protected]

    Eligibility Criteria

    You are eligible to participate if you:

    - Are aged 60 years or older

    - Are right-handed

    - Are cognitively healthy

    - Are able to come in-person to our site, located at the Montreal Neurological Institute

    - Have no metal in your body (e.g., pacemaker, metal plates, orthopedic devices, etc.)

    - Speak English or French

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In person and online

    What is this Study about?

    This study aims to evaluate the acceptance and usability of the GuardIO Family Care app, a mobile application designed to support community safety for individuals living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment and their care partners. The study also aims to analyze mobility patterns collected from the app to explore how mobility data can contribute to the early detection of cognitive impairment. The findings will help improve app design, inform care strategies, and support early intervention efforts for individuals living with dementia or MCI.

    Eligibility Criteria

    You are eligible to participate if you:

    Are 18 years of age or older

    Are living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, or are a care partner of someone with MCI or dementia

    Are able to use a smartphone or tablet with the GuardIO app

    Are willing to participate in the study activities, including using the app, completing questionnaires, and attending an optional focus group

    Can understand and communicate in English (or another supported language, if applicable)

    Recruitment End Date

  • Observational Study
    In-Person and Online

    What is this Study about?

    This study is testing a digital reminder system for people living with dementia. The system sends alerts when daily routines change and collects feedback from caregivers. The goal is to improve the system’s design and usefulness. Results will help make reminder tools more supportive for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

    Eligibility Criteria

    You are eligible to participate if you are a person living with dementia and you:
    - Have a clinical diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia
    - Were diagnosed within the past 2 years
    - Speak and understand English
    - Are able to give informed consent
    - Have internet access at home
    - Are part of a caregiver-participant pair (dyad)

    You are eligible to participate if you are a caregiver and you:
    - Are an informal caregiver (family member or friend)
    - Provide at least 30 hours of care per week to a person living with dementia
    - Speak and understand English
    - Are able to give informed consent
    - Can participate in a home setup session and follow-up interview

    Recruitment End Date