Dr. Wendy Duggleby, Director of Innovations in Senior's Care Research Unit
The University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing is increasing its commitment to enhancing the quality of life of older adults with a new research unit to focus on the development and evaluation of innovative interventions in seniors' care.
The Innovations in Seniors' Care Research Unit (iSENIORSru) was created to allow researchers to collaborate to improve the care and quality of life of older adults and their families and support networks through research that advances translational knowledge.
Led by Wendy Duggleby, professor and nursing research chair in aging and quality of life, the new research unit will bring together 21 faculty members whose research and teaching concentrates on older adults and their families.
"This research unit benefits not only patients, but also our faculty and students," says Duggleby. "By building research capacity we are working towards the goal of advancing science in gerontological nursing, facilitating adoption of best practices, fostering leadership and designing and shaping policy."
Since 2014 the Faculty of Nursing has been a membership institute of the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE), which is considered to be the gold standard in gerontological nursing. As the only NHCGNE school of nursing in Canada, the launch of iSENIORSru solidifies the Faculty's commitment to enhance and sustain the capacity and competency of nurses to provide quality care to older adults.
Over the next five years, iSENIORSru will seek to:
- Build research capacity in innovative intervention/program development and evaluation research.
- Build academic research leadership to improve the care and quality of life of older adults and their families.
- Strengthen international research liaisons through opportunities associated with being a member institute of the NHCGNE.
- Collaborate with researchers, health care providers, policy makers and older adults to identify priority areas for research.
- Raise awareness of the contribution/outcomes of innovative intervention/program research.
- Engage and build research capacity for students.
Innovations in Seniors' Care Research Unit is funded through the Endowed Research Chair in Aging and Quality of Life.