Innovations in Aging Research Webinar
Psychosocial Determinants of Cognitive Health: Implications for Community-Based Non-Pharmacological Interventions
With Daniel R. Y. Gan, PhD
As many as 81% of all North Americans with dementia are aging in the community. Neurobiological processes of dementia are known to start decades before diagnosis. Given that 40% of its risk factors are modifiable, prevention in the community becomes crucial. But community contexts are diverse. This webinar summarizes, step-by-step, how psychosocial variables in the community could be addressed. Using the example of two theory-based constructs, i.e., cohesion and playfulness, I demonstrate the importance of including community as a unit of analysis to facilitate comparative case studies across intervention contexts and cross-level analysis. Potential outcomes include more robust trial design and greater community impact, using hybrid approaches of RCTs and implementation science.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of the webinar, learners will be able to:
- Understand the importance of community as a unit of analysis
- Compare communities of intervention using validated psychosocial constructs
- Implement successful trials more effectively in community settings
ABOUT DANIEL GAN
Daniel is a community gerontologist with expertise in social epidemiology and implementation science. He is a recipient of the 2021 ACRM R13 Diversity Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine (DCIRM) Mentoring and Career Development Fellowship, and co-convenor of Environmental Gerontology, Gerontological Society of America.
