Ryerson Alumni - 2018 Summer - 25

cortex of their brains when motivated to perform a task,
compared to younger adults.
The research suggests a senior's level of engagement
will highly affect their cognitive abilities-and how
engaged people are might go a long way to explain the
huge variation in memory performance among seniors.
In other words, the key to a sharp mind in old age might
not be computer brain teasers, but finding the people,
topics and activities that inspire us.

"MEMORY
INFLUENCED
INTERESTS

VERY

MUCH

INTENTIONS,

AND

E M O T I O N S ."

Using artwork-and sensors-to understand dementia
As a geriatric rehabilitation nurse and professor at
Ryerson's Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Kristine
Newman sees the many ways that societal stigma and
lack of understanding regarding dementia is harmful.
It stops people from getting the care and supports they
need, she explains.
Driven by her desire to combat the stigma, Newman's
research shines a light on the lived experiences of people with dementia. In her current project, Newman's
team has outfitted the rooms of people with dementia with motion and touch sensors, given the subjects wrist monitors that track vital signs such as
heart rate, and installed hallway video (all done with
consent). The research team is developing a predictive system that establishes patterns, in vital signs
and movements to recognize the subtle early signs
of agitation. Newman's research is supported by the
Alzheimer Society Research Program and the Faculty
of Community Services.
This fall, Newman's team will express the research
findings in a unique way, through an exhibit of artworks-drawings, videos and written words-at the
Toronto Rehab Institute. The art, inspired by the data,
will reveal what it's like to feel helpless, confused,
and overwhelmed by frightening stimuli. Newman
hopes the project will help the research resonate with
a broader audience while creating more empathy for
people with dementia.
"Often research is disseminated in a journal article
and inaccessible to the general public," she says. Art can
reach many generations, she points out, which is important as Newman's earlier research shows young people
who frequently care for older relatives with dementia
don't receive enough guidance and recognition.
Newman hopes the sensor-driven project can inform
'smart' systems that identify some of the early signs
of stress in a person with dementia. Systems could
have automated responses, perhaps calm music could
be played or a care provider could be alerted. "With
advances in technology, we can promote a safe environment for people so they can be more independent."
Ryerson's research runs the gamut from early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease to improving the lives of
those in the advanced stages of the disease. Partnerships
with health-care institutions and seniors in the community propels the research-turning stigma associated with dementia to understanding and hope.
Summer 2018 / Ryerson University Magazine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ryerson Alumni - 2018 Summer