Project Timeline
January 2023 - March 2024
Funding From
Project Summary
Dementia is a significant health concern around the world. Approximately 500 000 people in Canada have some form of age-related dementia and this number is projected to double in the next 30 years. Dementia awareness is of particular concern in rural and remote regions, as well as among ethnic minorities and indigenous populations in Canada.
This project will engage with the communities of Northern BC to gain an understanding of local needs and concerns about Dementia. The project team will collect survey and interview data from family caregivers of persons with dementia, healthcare providers, wellness providers, and post-secondary students. Research findings will be applied to develop dementia guidelines and educational curricula that are culturally appropriate for use in Northern BC communities.
During the project, eight workshops will be hosted throughout CNC’s service region to engage communities about regionally sensitive dementia awareness and to inform further development of educational materials.
Read more about the study on their website. 
If you have any questions or concerns, you can email at dementia@cnc.bc.ca.
Research Team
Dinesh Ramoo, PhD, CNC Psychology Instructor - Research Lead
As the research lead for the project, Dr. Ramoo guides the development of dementia awareness materials and will also be the lead facilitator of educational workshops. His past research has focused on language impairment, speech production, and bilingualism. Currently, he is also collaborating with an international research team to develop neurological assessments for stroke patients in three languages for use with the South Asian population.
Salima Somani, MScN – Research Associate
Salima is passionate about making a positive impact on the healthcare landscape. She brings extensive experience to the project, including both clinical and research roles across Canada and internationally. Her research interests span clinical nursing, gerontology, long-term care, and ethnic minority issues as they relate to healthcare. Salima is currently a PhD candidate in UNBC’s school of Health Science.