Guidelines for co-creating lay summaries of research with stakeholders University of Dundee, Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford, KITE Research Institute at University Health Network | Product | 2019-12-10 | Mineko Wada, Judith Sixsmith, "Gail Harwood", Theodore Cosco, Mei Fang, Andrew Sixsmith |
Peer-review: an essential, but imperfect, part of the scientific processPeer-review forms the backbone of scientific publication. Intended as a quality control mechanism, the hope is that peer-review will permit only the most rigorously conducted scientific studies to put forth their findings into the public sphere. Sadly, this noble intent is often lost in contemporary academia’s publish-or-perish landscape. In advance of this year’s annual Peer Review Week (September 10-15, 2018), I wanted to highlight some of the challenges and opportunities inherent in the process. University of Oxford | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2018-08-30 | Theodore Cosco |
Introduction: Perspectives of Resilience and Aging. In A. Wister & T.D. Cosco (Eds.), Resilience and AgingIntroduction: Perspectives of Resilience and Aging. In Andrew V. Wister & Theodore D. Cosco (Eds.), Resilience and Aging: Emerging Science and Future Possibilities, 2021
Springer Nature Publishing Company, Switzerland, 2021 Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2021-11-11 | Andrew Wister, Theodore Cosco |
Addition of Research Advisory Panel page to PMH websiteA Research Advisory Panel page encompassing a description of the Panel and bios of each research advisor was added to the Precision Mental Health website - https://www.precisionmentalhealthlab.com - in recognition of the value of their project participation.
The Precision Mental Health Research Advisory Panel (RAP) is a group that was convened in 2020 to ensure that our research findings are or will be meaningful and significant to end users. RAP activities include provision of feedback; guidance in direction of future research suggestions regarding website content; and piloting of sub-projects before they are delivered.
https://www.precisionmentalhealthlab.com/research-advisory-panel Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-03-16 | Theodore Cosco, Susan D. Lowe, "Jesse Walden" |
Digital interventions for depression and anxiety in older adults: A systematic review of randomized controlled trialsDigital interventions for depression and anxiety in older adults: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials KITE Research Institute at University Health Network, Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-03-29 | Indira Riadi, Lucy Kervin, Ryan Churchill, Andrew Sixsmith, Sylvain Moreno, Theodore Cosco, "Kiffer G Card", "Kelly Teo" |
SFU Gerontology celebrates 40 years of research and education on aging, Faculty of Arts and Social SciencesFaculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS) Forum 2023: SFU Gerontology and Gerontology Research Centre Featured
"In honour of the 40th anniversary, four faculty members presented at the event. Habib Chaudhury, Professor and Chair of the Department of Gerontology; Andrew Wister, Professor and Director of the Gerontology Research Centre; Theodore D. Cosco, Associate Professor; and Theresa Pauly, Assistant Professor. The GRC and department were spotlighted by Andrew and Habib, and Theodore and Theresa provided a brief overview of their respective areas of research..."
“To ensure the future of gerontology, I think we need to look beyond gerontology. As researchers, I think we need to expand our methodological and disciplinary horizons beyond the confines of traditional social gerontology into complementary fields, such as psychology and epidemiology, alongside increasing collaborations with non-academic partners. At the Precision Mental Health Lab our team consists of researchers and partners from myriad disciplines both within and outside of academia, for example, industry and non-profit collaborators, all working towards the goal of helping people be happier and healthier for longer,” says Theodore D. Cosco, Associate Professor."
http://www.sfu.ca/gerontology/news-events/faculty/sfu-gerontology-celebrates-40-years-of-research-and-education-on-aging.html
Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Leadership | 2023-04-03 | Andrew Wister, Theodore Cosco, "Habib Chaudry", "Theresa Pauly" |
Contributors to mental health resilience in middle-aged and older adults: An analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on AgingContributors to mental health resilience in middle-aged and older adults: An analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (2023), First View
Objectives: Identifying the correlates of mental health resilience (MHR)—defined as the discrepancy between one’s reported current mental health and one’s predicted mental health based on their physical performance—may lead to strategies to alleviate the burden of poor mental health in aging adults. Socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, may promote MHR via modifiable factors, such as physical activity and social networks.
Conclusion: The burden of poor mental health in aging adults may be alleviated through targeted interventions involving physical activity and social connectedness for individuals with lower socioeconomic resources. Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2023-03-30 | Shawna Hopper, Theodore Cosco, "John Best", Andrew Wister |
Digital Interventions for Depression and Anxiety in Older Adults: Protocol for a Systematic ReviewDigital Interventions for Depression and Anxiety in Older Adults: Protocol for a Systematic Review Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2020-12-20 | Indira Riadi, Lucy Kervin, "Kelly Teo", Ryan Churchill, Theodore Cosco |
Elder/Adult Orphan Terminology: Critical Considerations for Application in Research and Clinical ContextsGlobal population aging and other macro social trends have evoked concerns regarding the availability of informal care support for a growing proportion of older people. Family and friends of older adults are heavily relied upon to supplement formal care services and assist in navigating complex and fragmented health and social systems. Older persons who are isolated and without access to informal support may be at elevated risk for negative health outcomes and care disparities. This population has been identified within gerontological and medical research as elder orphans, a medical ethics term used to alert practitioners to their disadvantaged circumstances and potential need for supportive intervention. Discrepancies exist across perspectives on the utility and acceptability of this terminology. We review the origins of the elder orphan terminology within medical, gerontological, and lay literature to describe the viewpoints for and against this term. Current research investigating both the perspectives of clinicians who encounter this population within care contexts as well as older people meeting orphaned status is drawn upon. We juxtapose these findings with literature highlighting the ramifications of ageist terminology in clinical and lay settings for older adults’ health and quality of care. Inconsistent identifying terminology is underscored as imposing barriers to research advancements in this area, identification of this population in community and clinical settings, and the performance of supportive intervention. We present our support for recently proposed alternative terminology in its capacity to elicit understanding among practitioners of the legal and medical challenges faced by this population. Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2022-03-30 | Lucy Kervin, "Stephanie V Chamberlain", Andrew Wister, Theodore Cosco |
Internet use and life satisfaction among Chinese older adults: the mediating effects of social interactionThe Chinese government attaches great importance to the
well-being of older people and vigorously advocates for
healthy and active aging strategies, aiming to create a favorable
social environment for the upcoming serious situation of
an aging population in China. Based on data from China, we
found that internet use not only directly affects older adults’
life satisfaction but also improves their life satisfaction
by promoting offline social interaction. As technology has
advanced, the internet has penetrated all aspects of Chinese
society, impacting older adults’ lives. Our findings provide
crucial theoretical enlightenment for further understanding
the association between internet use and older adults’ life
satisfaction and provide empirical evidence for promoting
the well-being of older adults through online tools.
Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2023-02-11 | Theodore Cosco, "Xinfeng Cheng", "Tingshuai Ge" |
Older adult's experiences of technology use for socialization during the COVID-19 pandemic: A regionally representative cross-sectional survey Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2021-02-01 | Kristen R Haase, Theodore Cosco, Lucy Kervin, Indira Riadi, Megan E O\textquotesingle Connell |
Predictors of the rate of cognitive decline in older adults using machine learningThe study investigates the possibility of implementing prognostic models to predict cognitive changes with the combination of categorical and continuous data from multiple domains.
It indicated the possibility of identifying individuals at high risk of future major cognitive decline as well as potential risk/protective factors of cognitive decline among older adults. The findings could assist in improving the effective interventions to delay cognitive decline among aging populations Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2023-03-03 | Maryam Ahmadzadeh, "Tarik Rashid", Theodore Cosco, "John Best", "Gregory Christie", "Steve DiPaola" |
Factors contributing to the mental wellbeing of community-dwelling older adults: A qualitative study from the Vancouver West End“Factors contributing to the mental wellbeing of community-dwelling older adults: A qualitative study from the Vancouver West End” Poster presentation at the 51st Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting of the Canadian Association on Gerontology, Regina, Sask., October, 20-22, 2022 Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2022-12-20 | Indira Riadi, Lucy Kervin, "Sandeep Dhillon", Theodore Cosco |
Co-creating project lay summaries with stakeholdersFunding bodies are increasingly requesting lay-summaries for research proposals to communicate the projects’ real-world relevance to the public. Many researchers find this difficult because they generally write for fellow subject specialists or academics. The Transdisciplinary Working (CC3) team therefore organized two lay-summary co-creation workshops for the AGE-WELL network. These workshops were designed to help researchers co-develop their project lay-summaries with stakeholders; and to develop guidelines for lay-summary co-creation for AGE-WELL researchers. Our poster presents the co-creation protocol and feedback from the researchers and other stakeholders about their experiences with the co-creation process. Following an analysis of the workshops, we developed a set of guidelines that suggest 1) stakeholders need to be informed about the goals and expectations of the co-creation process; and 2) facilitators need to be skilled enough to navigate the negotiation process and subsequently integrate stakeholders’ and researchers’ perspectives into the lay-summary of a project.
Wada, M., Cosco, T., Lowe, S., Harwood, G., Gale, B. -J., Forsythe, L., Fang, M. L., Sixsmith, J., & Sixsmith, A. (2019, October). Co-creating project lay summaries with stakeholders. Poster presented at the AGE-WELL’s 5th Annual Conference, October 22-24, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford, University of Dundee, KITE Research Institute at University Health Network | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2019-10-23 | Mineko Wada, Theodore Cosco, Susan D. Lowe, "Gail Harwood", "Bonnie-Jean Gale", "Linda Forsythe", Mei Fang, Judith Sixsmith, Andrew Sixsmith |
Nurturing resilience - Interview by Wendy Haaf (published), Good Times MagazineCosco, T.D. (2019) Interview by Wendy Haaf. Nurturing resilience. Good Times Magazine Simon Fraser University, University of Oxford | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-11-09 | Theodore Cosco |