Dementia program developed out of University of Waterloo gets $1M in federal funding
CTV
A new dementia program developed out of the University of Waterloo is receiving nearly $1 million in federal funding.
A new dementia program developed out of the University of Waterloo is receiving nearly $1 million in federal funding.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is providing Laura Middleton, a researcher in the department of kinesiology and health sciences, with $979,000 over four years for a project called Dementia Lifestyle Intervention for Getting Healthy Together (DELIGHT).
Middleton, who is also the Schlegel Research Chair in Dementia and Active Living, leads the project alongside Heather Keller and Carrie McAiney.
The program will see patients go through eight weeks of sessions focused on exercise and how to live well with dementia.
“Often people leave with a feeling of grief and loss,” said Middleton, referring to how people respond to a diagnosis. “‘I was just planning for the end,’” she said, pointing to what patients often say.
A big part of the program will be focused on simple exercises, like squats, which mimic getting up and down from a chair.
“Because we know physical health can help promote brain health,” Middleton said.