Baycrest

Sixty per cent of Canadians and up to 88 per cent of older adults have low health literacy – that is, the skills needed to obtain, understand, evaluate, communicate, and use reliable health information for better health, including brain health. The Centre for Education aims to address this challenge. After a two-year-long revitalization project, the Centre for Health Information officially opened its doors on July 25, 2022, to give older adults and their caregivers access to reliable health information to help them participate in their care and more effectively manage their health. Located on the first floor of the Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged at Baycrest, the Centre provides resources on brain health, dementia, caregiving, and much more. Following its revitalization, it now offers a larger space for health information; more computers with internet access and improved accessibility features; new services such as personalized health information searches; and an upgraded collection of health information resources. Trained volunteers are available to help visitors find information that is relevant and personalized to them. The Centre for Health Information also includes the online Health Information Portal, which aims to educate residents, caregivers, and community members about aging and brain health through reliable online health education resources. To access the Health Information Portal, click here. Dr. LaPlume was supervised by RRI Senior Scientist Dr. Nicole Anderson. This research was supported by the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. A recent Baycrest study showed that individuals with no dementia risk factors have similar brain health as people who are 10 to 20 years younger. The study included data from 22,117 people aged 18 to 89 who completed the Cogniciti Brain Health Assessment, developed by Baycrest. The researchers examined how memory and attention test performance was impacted by eight modifiable risk factors for dementia: low education, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, alcohol or substance abuse, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, and depression. Each factor led to the equivalent of up to three years of aging-related cognitive decline, with each additional factor contributing an additional three years of aging. In line with predictive neuroscience for precision aging, research like this will help us identify and address dementia risk factors earlier, helping everyone live their best possible lives. "All in all, our research shows that you have the power to decrease your risk of cognitive decline and dementia," says Dr. Annalise LaPlume, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Rotman Research Institute (RRI) and the study's lead author. Lifestyle may be more important than age in determining dementia risk Dementia Prevention 2022–2023 ANNUAL REPORT 11 Donors from Boom Health and members of the Centre for Education team at the opening of the new Centre for Health Information. Introducing Baycrest's new, innovative health literacy and information hub

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