Juanita-Dawne R. Bacsu

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Tier II Canada Research Chair in Nursing and Population Health at Thompson Rivers University

Background Older unpaid caregivers often face social isolation and loneliness, yet risk factors for social disconnection remain largely unexplored. As the demand for unpaid caregiving rises with an aging population, there is a need for targeted interventions to reduce social disconnectedness in this vulnerable group. This study aimed to identify de...

Purpose Studies examining the link between cancer survivorship and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are lacking. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the association between cancer survivorship and SCD among a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older adults. Method Data were obtained from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Fact...

Objective: The objective is to synthesize the literature on culturally sensitive approaches in psychosocial interventions to enhance the well-being of immigrant adults diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following the guidelines for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) an...

BACKGROUND Dementia is a significant global health concern. However, public awareness and education about dementia-related stigma remain limited, especially on social media. Examining dementia-related stigma on social media is critical because it impacts how the public perceives people living with dementia. By understanding dementia-related stigma...

Objective: The objective is to examine the experiences of cultural care for improving the psycho-social well-being of immigrant adults diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: The scoping review was conducted by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. The search strategy included qualitative research studies and reports published in academic journal...

Background A large body of research supports the benefits of older adults engaging in physical activity outdoors. However, a paucity of research explores factors associated with the frequency of older adults going outdoors. The aim of this study was to explore how factors including cognition, neighborhood characteristics, and physical ability were...

Purpose Despite the benefits of outdoor activity in older adults, a paucity of research explores factors associated with the frequency of older adults going outdoors. The aim of the current study was to investigate if factors of cognitive status, physical performance, and neighborhood characteristics were associated with outdoor frequency among old...

Older adults from minority groups often face higher rates of chronic diseases and cognitive impairment, along with lower rates of advance care planning and comfort care at end-of-life. This study aimed to explore patterns of advance care planning among older adults in the U.S., focusing on various demographic and psychosocial factors and cognition...

Mentorship is critical to advancing leadership skills and building confidence in academia. However, there is a paucity of programs focused on supporting new center directors in the field of aging. Working with the Gerontological Society of America, we created the Leadership Excellence and Advancement of Directors (LEAD) Program as a mentorship mode...

Declines in older adults’ cognitive and physical health pose challenges to maintaining their independence. Robots can improve independent living and facilitate aging-in-place. Despite recent innovations in healthcare robotics, the use of robots has not advanced significantly among older adults. This review seeks to understand human-robot interactio...

Background: We aimed to examine ACP in older adults in the U.S. across different sociodemographic characteristics and cognition levels (N = 17,698). Methods: We utilized two legal documents from the Health and Retirement Study survey: a living will and durable power of attorney for healthcare (DPOAH). We established the baseline trends from 2014 to...

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent mental health issue profoundly impacting both parents and their families. This study examines YouTube comments to identify common public discourse and prevalent themes surrounding PPD. Methods: We analyzed 4915 comments from 33 YouTube videos to provide a comprehensive picture of PPD-related di...

Introduction: Despite significant advancements in end-of-life (EOL) care, ethnically/racially minority and immigrant populations and individuals with cognitive impairment engage in advance care planning (ACP) at lower rates than the general population. Limited participation in ACP among these groups deepens healthcare disparities and highlights the...

Introduction The adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness (SI/L) have been documented among older adults in rural communities and contribute to poor health outcomes, premature disability and mortality, and increased burden on the healthcare system. The identification of factors contributing to SI/L among older adults can build the foundat...

Globally, there has been an increasing call for dissemination and implementation science to improve the health equity of older adults. However, improving the health equity of older adults requires methods that allow for an in-depth understanding of the existing research. While the value of review articles is widely recognized, the value of publishi...

Introduction People with dementia can have many family and friends who might be affected by their deaths. Pursuing the long-term aim of understanding how dementia deaths affect close family and friends, this project lays groundwork through estimates of who those close family and friends are, with special attention to race and ethnicity. Method Reg...

Alaska Native people face unique challenges growing old, including geographical remoteness, limited resources, and rural socioeconomic disparities. Rural Alaska Native Elders migrate to urban areas within Alaska to access medical services and resources, improve economic situations, or reunite with family. Migration is often associated with a loss o...

The purpose of this study was to determine the healthcare utilization patterns in a national sample of older adults across several social determinants of health factors (ethnicity, gender, race, education) with normal and dementia/impaired cognition. We used datasets from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2018) to evaluate healthcare utilizatio...

BACKGROUND Falls are a critical source of injury, hospitalization, and leave many older adults unable to return home, especially in rural communities with limited healthcare services. OBJECTIVE The objective of this scoping review is to explore the literature about falls prevention from the perspectives of older adults living within a rural contex...

Background The purpose was to investigate the impact of sociodemographic factors on healthcare utilization among adults with different cognition levels (normal and impairment/dementia). Methods We used cross-sectional data from the Health and Retirement Study (N=17,698) to assess healthcare utilization: hospital stay, nursing home stay, hospice ca...

Background Understanding advocacy strategies is essential to improving dementia awareness, reducing stigma, supporting cognitive health promotion, and influencing policy to support people living with dementia. However, there is a dearth of evidence-based research on advocacy strategies used to support dementia awareness. Objective This study aimed...

We aimed to examine past advance care planning (ACP) in U.S. older adults across different sociodemographic characteristics and cognition levels. We established the baseline trends from 10 years ago to assess if trends in 2024 have improved upon future data availability. We considered two legal documents in the Health and Retirement Study 2014 surv...

Introduction Stigma of dementia is one of the greatest challenges for people living with dementia. However, there is little research on the different types of stigma of dementia in the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this scoping review is to synthesize the existing literature on dementia-related stigma (self, public, and structural stigma), duri...

Background and Objectives Most persons with dementia experience behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD). While there is evidence that structured activity programs can be beneficial for persons with dementia and their caregivers, it is not well understood how joint engagement in shared activities affects BPSD and caregiver stress. The purpose o...

Mentorship is critical to supporting professional development and growth of new and emerging faculty members. Working with the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), we created the Advancing Gerontology through Exceptional Scholarship (AGES) Initiative as a mentorship model to promote productivity and peer support for new and early career faculty...

Mentorship is vital to supporting professional growth among early career faculty members. Working with the Gerontological Society of America, the Advancing Gerontology through Exceptional Scholarship (AGES) Program was created as a mentorship model to promote productivity and peer support for early career faculty members. This presentation will: 1)...

During the pandemic, many high-income countries prioritized older adults for COVID-19 vaccination in an attempt to reduce mortality. This prioritization may have exacerbated ageism and intergenerational conflict, especially with the limited quantity of COVID-19 vaccines. This presentation examines vaccine-related ageism during COVID-19 on social me...

Advance care planning (ACP) can help reduce end-of-life care challenges for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia and their care partners. Building on our previous work, we examined the impact of ACP on outpatient/doctor visits in older adults with dementia/impaired cognition and normal cognition. Using datasets from the 2014 Health...

Introduction Dementia-related stigma reduces the quality of life of people living with dementia and their care partners. However, there is a dearth of literature synthesising knowledge on stigma of dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review protocol outlines a methodology that will be used to understand the impact of stigma on peopl...

This study examined the impact of advance care planning (ACP) on healthcare utilization among older adults with normal cognition and impaired cognition/dementia. Using datasets from the Health and Retirement Study, we conducted a cross-sectional study on 17,698 participants aged 51 years and older. Our analyses included survey descriptive and logis...

Background and objectives: During the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, older adults in high-income countries were often prioritized for inoculation in efforts to reduce COVID-19 related mortality. However, this prioritization may have contributed to intergenerational tensions and ageism, particularly with the limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines. This...

Background: Ageism and stigma reduce the quality of life of older adults living with dementia. However, there is a paucity of literature addressing the intersection and combined effects of ageism and stigma of dementia. This intersectionality, rooted in the social determinants of health (ie, social support and access to health care), compounds hea...

BACKGROUND Ageism and stigma reduce the quality of life of older adults living with dementia. However, there is a paucity of literature addressing the intersection and combined effects of ageism and stigma of dementia. This intersectionality, rooted in the social determinants of health (ie, social support and access to health care), compounds healt...

Twitter has become a key platform for public health campaigns, ranging from mental health awareness week to diabetes awareness month. However, there is a paucity of knowledge about how Twitter is being used to support health campaigns, particularly for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. This presentation aims to: 1) identify how Twitter was used to share...

The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened issues of health inequity and social injustice against people with dementia. Despite having one of the highest mortality rates, little research focuses on the COVID-19 impact of people with dementia. This presentation aims to: 1) explore the COVID-19 experiences and key factors of health inequity among people with...

BACKGROUND Twitter has become a primary platform for public health campaigns, ranging from mental health awareness week to diabetes awareness month. However, there is a paucity of knowledge about how Twitter is being used during health campaigns, especially for Alzheimer’s Awareness OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to examine dementia discou...

Background Twitter has become a primary platform for public health campaigns, ranging from mental health awareness week to diabetes awareness month. However, there is a paucity of knowledge about how Twitter is being used during health campaigns, especially for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Objective The purpose of our study was to examine dementia...

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is taking a serious toll on people with dementia. Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 context, policymakers and practitioners require timely, evidence-informed research to address the changing needs and challenges of people with dementia and their care partners. OBJECTIVE Using Twitter da...

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is taking a serious toll on people with dementia. Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 context, policymakers and practitioners require timely, evidence-informed research to address the changing needs and challenges of people with dementia and their family care partners. Objective: Using...

In 2019, the Canadian Government released a national dementia strategy that identified the need to address the health inequity (e.g., avoidable, unfair, and unjust differences in health outcomes) and improve the human rights of people living with dementia. However, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having an inequitable impa...

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a serious toll on people with dementia and their care partners. Research shows that dementia is the most common co-morbidity in COVID-19 related deaths. Despite this knowledge, little discussion focuses on the COVID-19 experiences of people with dementia. The purpose of this study was to under-stand the impact of COV...

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis older adults often face systemic barriers to accessing culturally safe and equitable healthcare, including racism, structural injustice, and a historical legacy of colonialism. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on cultural safety interventions and implementation strategies in care for older adults. This presen...

Immigrant and refugee seniors experience cultural barriers, discrimination, and limited networks which increase the risk of social isolation and thus hinder their active participation in the society. This paper explores social isolation among immigrant and refugee seniors in Canada based on an environmental scan of federal/provincial/territorial an...

Stigma is a critical issue that reduces the quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners. Despite this knowledge, little research examines stigma of dementia, especially within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This presentation aims to: 1) identify the contributing factors of stigma against dementia during the COVID-...

Background: During the pandemic, there has been significant social media attention focused on the increased COVID-19 risks and impacts for people with dementia and their care partners. However, these messages can perpetuate misconceptions, false information, and stigma. Objective: This study used Twitter data to understand stigma against people...

BACKGROUND During the pandemic, there has been significant social media attention focused on the increased COVID-19 risks and impacts for people with dementia and their care partners. However, these messages can perpetuate misconceptions, false information, and stigma. OBJECTIVE This study used Twitter data to understand stigma against people with...

Globally, health inequities experienced by Indigenous communities are often described and documented in terms of deficits and disease. However, health disparities are complex and involve numerous underlying issues beyond the social determinants of health. Indigenous Peoples face unique barriers to accessing culturally safe and equitable healthcare,...

Aim The objective of this scoping review of reviews will be to synthesize the existing literature to identify key elements, conceptualizations and interventions of cultural safety to improve healthcare for Indigenous Peoples. Design Eligible studies will include reviews (e.g. scoping reviews, systematic reviews and narrative reviews) focused on In...

Despite its global importance and the recognition of dementia as an international public health priority, interventions to reduce stigma of dementia are a relatively new and emerging field. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the existing literature and identify key components of interventions to reduce stigma of dementia. We followed Arks...

The pandemic has exposed and amplified complex and complicated health and societal challenges while offering immense opportunities to transform societies to improve health for all. Social isolation is a challenging and persistent issue experienced by many older adults, especially among immigrant and refugee seniors. Unique risk factors such as raci...

Objectives Compared with the general population, people living with dementia have been unequivocally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on the COVID-19 impact on people with dementia and their care partners. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize the existing literature on the COVID-19 experi...

Dementia-related stigma can delay early dementia diagnosis and lead to social isolation, depression, and suicide. Despite this knowledge, few studies identify strategies to reduce dementia-related stigma. This late-breaker poster begins to address this gap by showcasing the educational components of a community-based workshop to share study finding...

Age is the greatest risk factor for dementia, and the number of rural older adults is rising. Although dementia-related stigma is widely documented, few studies focus on ways to reduce stigma, especially within rural communities. This late breaker presentation aims to: 1) explore the contributing factors of dementia-related stigma in rural communit...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people with dementia in numerous ways. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of research on the COVID-19 impact on people with dementia and their care partners. Objective: Using Twitter, the purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of COVID-19 of people living with dementia and their care...

Dementia is a national public health issue and a growing concern across Canada. Recently, the Government of Canada released a national dementia strategy focused on the need to prevent dementia, advance therapies, find a cure, and improve the quality of life for people with dementia. Family physicians are a primary source of care in discussing conce...

Existing cognitive health literature focuses predominately on understanding the pathology and clinical treatment of older adults with dementia rather than cognitive health promotion and preventative activities. In addition, most of the work in the area remains urban-centric with little focus on cognitive health in rural communities. This study exam...

There is a paucity of research on cognitive health promotion from the perspective of older adults, especially within a rural context. However, dementia and cognitive impairment are more prevalent among rural older adults than urban older adults. This presentation has two objectives: to examine cognitive health promotion from the perspective of rura...

Although there is significant stigma attached to dementia, there is a paucity of knowledge on stigma reduction interventions. Guided by a strength-based approach, this presentation consists of two objectives: 1) to identify the literature on interventions to reduce dementia-related stigma; and 2) to recognize the strength-based components of existi...

Purpose Social isolation and loneliness are global issues experienced by many seniors, especially immigrant and refugee seniors. Guided by the five-stage methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and more recently Levac, Colquhoun and O’Brien, the purpose of this paper is to explore the existing literature on social isolation and lon...

A number of organizations such as the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences have identified the growing need for a National Dementia Strategy in Canada to improve the quality of life for people with dementia. This commentary highlights the necessity of addressing stigma, social inclusion, and supports for people affected by dementia, specifically tho...

Although rural seniors are important users of health-care services, their perspectives and input remain largely absent from health programs and policies. This article explores rural seniors’ perspectives to support their engagement in patient-oriented research. Guided by lay theory and cultural schema theory, participant observation, concept maps,...

In North America, life expectancy has rapidly increased with advances in healthy diet, physical activity, and education. However, increased life expectancy is strongly linked to cognitive health, and age is the greatest risk factor for developing dementia. There is a paucity of research on aging and cognitive health within a rural context. This pre...

RÉSUMÉ Les prévisions liées au vieillissement de la population canadienne impliquent que la demande en soins à domicile augmentera significativement. À ce jour, peu d’études ont été menées au Canada sur les soins à domicile pour les personnes âgées, notamment sur les caractéristiques des bénéficiaires de soins à domicile, les lacunes dans les servi...

In the context of population aging, both the need for home care services and its complexity of care have increased in many high-income countries. Yet, the definition of what constitutes complex care is largely elusive. This systematic review examined the conceptual definition of complex care within the home care environment using several social and...

Community drop-in centres offer social support for older adults by providing opportunities for social connection. Seniors’ centres operate according to a self-help paradigm and are cost effective, functioning largely through volunteer contributions. Seniors’ centres are found in rural communities across Canada, as well as within neighborhoods in ci...

Literature suggests that there is significant stigma attached to poor cognitive health and memory loss in older adults. However, there is a paucity of research on influences and consequences of stigma in a rural context. This presentation will address two objectives: 1) to examine the influences of stigma surrounding poor cognitive health in rural...

Recruitment and retention of older adults in research can be challenging, especially within the rural context. Drawing from three different rural aging studies in Saskatchewan, Canada, this presentation will discuss the challenges and range of strategies used to recruit and retain research participants in a rural setting. Specifically, this present...

RÉSUMÉ La littérature existante sur la santé cognitive se concentre sur les perspectives des personnes âgées atteintes de démence. Cependant, on sait peu de la façon dont les personnes âgées en bonne santé, sans démence, comprendre leur santé cognitive. Dans les communautés rurales, le diagnostic précoce de la démence peut être entravé par de nombr...

Purpose: This qualitative study examined the falls and fall-related injury experiences of community-dwelling rural seniors.Methods: Forty-two senior men and women living in two rural areas in Saskatchewan, Canada were recruited and in-depth interviews were conducted.Results: Analysis revealed three main themes among responses; nature of falls and i...

This study examines the interventions that enable rural seniors to remain within their homes and communities as they age. Through semi-structured interviews with 40 rural seniors, the findings reveal a number of actions that facilitate rural aging. This study has important implications for a range of stakeholders from policy makers to community lea...

To date, initiatives to support healthy aging in place have focused primarily on the views of policy makers, researchers, and health professionals. This article explored the meanings, experiences, and perceptions of healthy aging in place among rural older adults. Guided by a community-based participatory research approach, this study sheds light o...

Purpose: To examine the key determinants that support healthy aging in rural communities. Sample: Forty-two participants aged 65 and older were recruited from two rural communities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Methods: Using an ethnographic methodological approach, data was collected through semi-structured interviews, field notes and participant obser...