Research

The ACGA regularly gets involved in academic and community-based research projects in order to better understand caregiver issues.

This page lists research projects in which the ACGA is either a co-applicant or participating supporter (e.g. assisting with passive recruitment, etc.).

Experiences of Caregiving for Adults With Chronic Physical Illness

Principle Investigator: Ilja Ormel of Healthexperiences.ca, St. Mary’s Research Group; in collaboration with the University of Oxford

As a participant in the study, we would ask you to share your experiences with us as a family caregiver. Our aim is to publish the results on internet to provide a source of reliable information and support to caregivers as well as educating doctors, nurses and other health professionals about the caregivers’ perspective on caring for adults with chronic physical illness. Your involvement would be somewhat like a conversation where I will ask you to tell me your caregiver story. Your participation would involve one interview session which normally lasts at least one hour. The interview would take place in a location at your convenience. Your participation may contribute to helping others understand and learn about issues related to care giving.

We collaborate with the University of Oxford who has already posted over 60 modules of health experiences of caregivers and patients on their website: http://www.healthtalkonline.org/. This module will be the first module for the Canadian version of this site.

For more information about this study, or to volunteer
for this study please contact Ilja Ormel at
514 345-3511 #3695 or email ilja.ormel.chsm@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

The Impact of Caregiving on Children in Families in the Capital Region

Co-application with the Centre for the Cross-Cultural Study of Health and Healing (Department of Family Medicine, U of A) to be submitted to the Alberta Centre for Child, Family & Community Research.

The ACGA, in collaboration with policy experts, researchers, and practitioners, is developing a project to:

• Determine the prevalence of caregiving among children
• Learn what role children play in giving care within family circumstances; and
• To learn how the caregiving role impacts the life of a child.

For more information or to participate, please contact Dr. Earle Waugh at (780) 492-6424 or ewaugh@AlbertaCaregivers.org.

Understanding Emergency Department Care Transitions for Older Adults with Dementia

Principal Investigator: Dr. Belinda Parke, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
(ACGA Co-Applicant)

The Royal Alexandra Hospital, the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, and the University of Alberta are conducting a study looking at how the emergency department can become more elder friendly. The researchers want to understand the barriers and facilitators to safe, quality care for older people with dementia in the emergency department. Over the next few months, they will be recruiting individuals like you who might be interested in talking about what it is like to be a family caregiver or an older person with dementia visiting the emergency department.

Download (PDF): Info Sheet | Poster

For more information or to participate, please contact Dr. Belinda Parke or Ashley McClelland at 780-492-6521 or Ashley.mcclelland@ualberta.ca.

Family Caregiver Transition Study

Principal Investigator: Dr. Wendy Duggleby, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
(ACGA Supported)

The objective of this study is to find out about what helps or hinders significant changes in the lives of caregivers caring for persons with chronic illness. Questionnaires about hope (Herth Hope Index) and quality of life (WHO Quality of Life BREF) are administered to better understand the changes that caregivers experience relating to hope and quality of life. The results will be used to develop a tool that can be used to help caregivers with transitions resulting from their care for a person living with a chronic illness.

For more information or to participate, please contact Drs. Wendy Duggleby or Jennifer Swindle toll-free at 1-877-692-5909.

Employer Perspectives on Mental Illness and Disability: A Pilot Study

Principal Investigator: Dr. Janki Shankar, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary
(ACGA Supported)

More information on this research project will be available soon. In the meantime, please contact Dr. Janki Shankar or Roz Zulla at rzulla@ualberta.ca.