Featured Projects
The Centre on Aging highlights current research and educational projects led by its members and trainees. These projects reflect the wide range of aging-related work happening across UCalgary and demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.
This page is regularly updated with new and ongoing projects that are helping to shape the future of aging research and education.
Connecting Reproductive Health and Healthy Aging
The effects of pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive health care extend decades beyond the reproductive years. Dr. Erin Brennand, a urogynecologist and researcher at the University of Calgary, explores how these experiences shape health and aging across the life course. Her research focuses on pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, conditions linked to pelvic floor injury often originating during childbirth that may not become apparent until years later, when aging and menopause can reveal underlying deficits in pelvic floor function.
Dr. Brennand’s work has challenged how pelvic organ prolapse is treated. Her research has shown that hysteropexy, a procedure that restores pelvic support while preserving the uterus, provides outcomes that are equivalent, and in some measures, superior, to the more traditional hysterectomy-based surgery in which the uterus is removed. It was found that when given the option, about half of patients undergoing this type of surgery in Alberta elected to keep their uterus - a choice that was made not only by those seeking to maintain their fertility, but also by women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s.
More recently, Dr. Brennand and her team has begun examining how reproductive health interventions themselves may also influence healthy aging. Their research found that women who undergo hysterectomy before menopause experience a 33% higher rate of cardiometabolic disease over the following two decades. Building on these findings, they are now investigating how prolapse surgery may affect ovarian function, as well as the biological mechanisms that underlie the association.
To keep up with Dr. Brennand and her research, click the link below!
Supporting Dementia Caregivers: A Decision-Making Road Map
I never thought I'd have to stand there and make that decision.
Caregiver reflection
Many families experience uncertainty while supporting a person living with dementia.
People living with dementia and their families face various difficult decisions throughout the course of the disease. These decisions extend far beyond medical care and can include changes to daily routines, balancing safety and independence, planning for future care, and transitioning to supportive living. Although resources exist to support some individual decisions, caregivers often need guidance to prepare them for the many decisions they face as dementia progresses.
As part of her PhD research in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Dr. Seema King explored the decision-making experiences of family caregivers supporting a person living with dementia. Through interviews, caregivers described feeling overwhelmed by the number of decisions they faced, uncertain about what the future would bring, and often unprepared for the role they had assumed. The research identified seven common types of decisions that families face as dementia progresses: 1) getting a diagnosis; 2) financial and legal documents, and understanding your person's wishes; 3) driving; 4) decisions day-to-day; 5) taking care of yourself; 6) where to live; and 7) end of life care decisions.
Building on these findings, an initial decision-making roadmap was co-developed with caregiver research partners who had firsthand experience supporting a person living with dementia. The roadmap was then refined through feedback from caregivers, health and social care providers, and community organizations to ensure it reflected the realities of dementia care. Rather than focusing on a single decision, the roadmap helps caregivers understand the decisions they may face, where to find support, and how to prepare for future challenges. It is designed to help families anticipate future decisions, reduce uncertainty, and support conversations with healthcare providers as dementia progresses.