North York community centre study aims to reduce dementia rates

At the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness, hundreds of people are going through hours-long assessments that evaluate things like their sense of smell, hearing and cognitive abilities.

The long-term goal is to help reduce dementia rates across the country. 

"We test their body composition, for example, and that sets a baseline," says Maliha Chowdhury, a senior research co-ordinator at the centre.

"And then we repeat the test after one year of programming and see how their body composition has changed based on one year of fitness programs they're doing."

The programming is targeted based on the personal results of the participants. The North York facility claims to be the first and only research-driven brain health community centre that will create personalized dementia-prevention programs for healthy and at-risk individuals over the age of 50, including those from diverse communities outside the Baycrest campus.

"We do a number of other tests like height, weight, blood pressure and heart rate," Chowdhury said.

A 2022 study by the Alzheimer's Society of Canada estimates close to 1.7 million people in the country will have dementia by 2050, or around 3.6 per cent of the population. As of 2020, about 600,000 people in Canada had dementia, or about 1.6 per cent of the population. 

As dementia rates continue to rise, researchers at the centre are hoping to help people in the community change their lifestyle to prevent the diagnosis.

Dr. Nicole Anderson, associate scientific director at the centre, calls the series of tests a "deep dementia risk assessment," and says it takes around 4.5 hours split into three sessions.

She says the first session includes providing a saliva sample and blood test, the second is a clinical assessment which tests hearing, smell and strength and the third is a questionnaire about the participants' demographics.

"We look at lifestyle behaviours like physical activity, healthy eating, cognitive engagement, social connections and mental well being," she said.

Once the assessment is finished, the participants receive a report that lists their specific health conditions that could contribute to a heightened dementia risk. The centre then refers them to lifestyle programming to help reduce the risk.

"For example if they aren't getting enough physical activity, then they'll sign up for physical activity programs," Anderson explains.

The study will be long term, but the initial validation study will last three years and follow 450 people.