Thompson Rivers University's (TRU) Board of Governors approved Friday the establishment of the Population Health and Aging Rural Research Centre, an innovative research initiative designed to address the unique health challenges faced by older adults in rural communities.
TRU's Senate approved the research institute proposal earlier this year. Led by Dr. Juanita-Dawne Bacsu, assistant professor in the School of Nursing and Canadian Research Chair in Nursing and Population Health, the new centre aims to lead population health research to enhance the quality of life for rural older adults. The centre will serve communities grappling with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer-related mortality, and dementia among their aging populations.
The centre will focus on developing partnerships and providing education and training opportunities. It will also prioritize intergenerational programs and interdisciplinary research, actively involving rural older adults to help guide research questions, priorities and strategies.
TRU President Brett Fairbairn said the creation of the centre is "very exciting to see happen," noting the centre adds considerably to TRU's research function.
The centre will be housed within TRU's School of Nursing as the lead faculty and will involve researchers from the faculties of Education and Social Work, Arts and Science. Activities at the centre include hosting events to showcase research outcomes, creating a newsletter and podcast series, offering a seminar series, organizing an annual symposium and developing internship opportunities for TRU students. An interdisciplinary course on population health is also in development.
The centre has received significant support from the local community, including endorsements from the Alzheimer Society of BC, Interior Health and numerous health-care professionals. Dr. Bacsu and her team are in the process of securing a location for the centre.
