The Alzheimer Society Research Portal connects researchers with Canadians looking to participate in research studies. On this website, find active studies that you can participate in to help advance research on dementia.
This study aims to explore the hospitalization experiences of South Asian and Arab older adults with dementia and identify barriers and facilitators they encounter during their hospital stay in receiving culturally safe care. The information gathered will be used to identify gaps in current hospital dementia care practices and create resources and recommendations for policy and practice changes that promote culturally safe, inclusive dementia care for ethnic communities.
You are eligible to participate if you are:
Older Adults:
Caregivers
This research study explores the experiences of older men who provide care for a spouse or partner. This study is being conducted by researchers from the Men’s Health Research program, led by Principal Investigator Dr. John Oliffe, Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Men’s Health Promotion, School of Nursing, at the University of British Columbia.
- Speak and understand English
- Live in Canada
- Self-identify as a man
- Are aged 65 years or older
- Are currently caring for a spouse/partner living in community, or an assisted living or long-term care home
We are currently recruiting people living with dementia and their caregivers (i.e., family members, friends, or formal care providers such as nurses and social workers) for a study examining experiences with time among people living with dementia. The ultimate objective of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the experience of time among people with dementia, including how they feel about the past, present, and future, and how this time-related experience affects their caregivers’ daily life and wellbeing. Data from this study may be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at academic conferences.
You are eligible to participate if you:
• Are 18 years of age or older
• Reside in Canada
• Are fluent in English
• Have normal or adjusted normal hearing
• Are a person living with dementia OR are a caregiver/formal care provider of a person living with dementia (e.g., family member, friend, social worker, long-term care staff, nurse)
• Have access to a device with a reliable internet connection
This study explores dementia stigma within South Asian communities in Canada, a group that has been underrepresented in dementia research. Using a focused ethnographic approach, it aims to understand community beliefs and experiences related to dementia and identify ways to create a culturally appropriate dementia-friendly society.
The study will: Examine South Asian cultural understandings of dementia and dementia-related stigma. Investigate how dementia affects the overall well-being of people living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. Explore how individuals make decisions about seeking healthcare and support. The research also seeks to understand how social, cultural, structural, and political factors contribute to dementia stigma and how culturally relevant anti-stigma interventions can be developed.
Expected outcomes include: Generating new knowledge about dementia stigma in South Asian communities. Increasing awareness and promoting dementia-friendly environments. Sharing findings through academic publications, conferences, community presentations, and multilingual infographics in Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu to reach a broader audience.
You are eligible to participate if you:
- live with dementia or provide care for a loved one living with dementia
- live in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)
- connect your roots or ethnicity to Bangladesh, India, or Pakistan
- are sixteen years of age or older
- can provide consent
- speak English, Hindi, Urdu, or Bengali
In the past, frailty and dementia were treated as distinct entities; however, it is now recognized that they share a complex relationship. As a result, there is an urgent need for the joint investigation of frailty and dementia. Our survey aims to bring together perspectives from stakeholders worldwide who share an interest in frailty and dementia. We are collecting data over the next several months, via various promotional "waves." Once we reach adequate participation and thematic saturation, we anticipate that data analysis and knowledge dissemination will take approximately six months.
This study examines how Black family caregivers in the Greater Toronto Area experience and access social support while caring for a relative living with dementia. Using Straussian Grounded Theory informed by Critical Theory and Intersectionality, the research explores how factors such as race, culture, gender, and community shape caregiving experiences and support-seeking behaviours. Findings will be used to develop theory grounded in the lived experiences of Black caregivers, and to inform more culturally responsive dementia care policies, services, and supports across Canada. This study has been approved by the York University Research Ethics Board (Protocol 130, April 2026).
You are eligible to participate if you:
The goal of this study is to investigate whether very small doses of a drug called levetiracetam (LEV) may reduce abnormal brain signaling in the brain in individuals who are at an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease. Only participants who show the abnormal brain signaling on a functional MRI (fMRI) scan of the brain will be enrolled in the study. Enrolled participants will receive 4 weeks of treatment with LEV and 4 weeks of treatment with placebo (a sugar pill). The study involves cognitive testing, genetic testing, bloodwork, ECGs, questionnaires and several brain imaging scans.
• Are between 55-85 years of age
• Have a parent or sibling with Alzheimer’s disease or with dementia that may be due to Alzheimer’s disease (even if not diagnosed as such)
• Feel your memory is getting worse
• Get normal scores on tests of thinking and memory (will be done as part of the study)
• Are able to undergo brain MRI scans
• Have a study partner (friend or family member) willing to answer questionnaires about you
• Show increased brain signaling during the screening fMRI scan (Note: We anticipate that most people who sign up for the study will NOT show the increased brain activity levels required to qualify for the study treatment)
This study explores the experiences of family and friends of long-term care residents. It focuses on how they experience stress, burden, and mental health challenges, and how a single-session online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or educational materials may help. We will use the information gathered from questionnaires and interventions to understand the effectiveness of these supports and to develop recommendations for improving resources, strategies, and interventions to better meet the needs of family and friends, helping them manage stress and maintain wellbeing while caring for someone in long-term care.
You are eligible to participate if you:
- are at least 18 years old
- currently reside in Canada
- have a family member or friend who currently lives in long-term care
- are not currently receiving psychological treatment
This study explores the experience of family and friend caregivers when they are supporting a person living with dementia to discharge from hospital including the emergency room. It focuses on how caregivers experience discharge planning processes and policies, how their perspectives and needs are considered at this key time, and the impacts upon the person they care for and themself in the 6 months after a hospital stay. We will used findings to develop recommendations to improve understanding of the role, needs and rights of caregivers as they care for people who live with dementia in the community.
Caregivers:
- are the primary family or friend caregiver of a person living with dementia who lives/lived in the community
- the care recipient was in hospital including the emergency room and discharged to the community within the last 3 years
- you provided care between 0-3 years ago
- you provided care in Ottawa or the surrounding 200 km
- you are comfortable taking part in a 60-minute interview in English, French or in a different language (translation services are available)
- the care recipient did not have an acute life limiting condition such as terminal cancer for the entire duration of your journey of providing care.
Social Workers
- are a social worker who currently or within the last 3 years worked with people living with dementia who are discharging or who discharged from a health care facility. This may include hospital and community-based social workers.
- you work in Ottawa or the surrounding 200 km
- you have worked a minimum of 3 months in this role
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