This #BrainHealthAwarenessMonth, MIRA is excited to announce the Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging Knowledge Mobilization (KM) Hub Team, led by MIRA’s Scientific Director Dr. Parminder Raina and Director of the MIRA | Dixon Hall Centre Dr. Marla Beauchamp, has been awarded $2.1M in funding from the CIHR Institute of Aging, in partnership with the Azrieli Foundation, its Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, and the Brain Canada Foundation.
The newly re-christened Brain Health Resources and Integrated Diversity (BRAID) Hub is an integral part of the BHCIA Research Initiative. This funding will support the creation of a centralized knowledge mobilization hub that will play a critical role in integrating research findings, providing training and resources, and promoting the use of evidence-based information to enhance dementia care and support.
An integral knowledge mobilization resource, the BRAID hub represents an exciting opportunity for MIRA to continue to support actionable, accessible knowledge translation tools poised to impact the lives of Canada’s aging population by aiming to:
- Accelerate and facilitate communication of evidence-based information using an equity approach through an inventory function to diverse audiences across Canada.
- Contribute to the dissemination and uptake of dementia-related knowledge across Canada in alignment with the National Dementia Strategy.
- Strengthen collaboration among brain health and aging researchers.
The vision for the Brain Health Resources and Integrated Diversity (BRAID) Hub aligns with Canada’s National Dementia Strategy, which was developed with the goal of creating a nation where all individuals living with dementia and their care partners are valued and supported, quality of life is optimized, and dementia is prevented, well understood, and effectively treated. Initially targeting healthcare professionals and people affected by dementia, the BRAID hub aims to build a knowledge mobilization hub integrating education, resources, and supports informed by a two-way exchange between the funded research team and knowledge users to move high-quality evidence-based guidelines into practice.
The BRAID Hub will collaborate with several partners to integrate brain health and dementia research findings and provide evidence-based education and resources. By engaging with healthcare professionals and diverse communities, the Hub aims to co-create an interactive knowledge and training platform that meets the needs of people with dementia and the healthcare system. The long-term objectives include implementing and scaling up nationally to diverse end-users.
Congratulations to Dr. Raina and Dr. Beauchamp and the team on this remarkable achievement!
Stay tuned for updates on the initiative and others aiming to continue to advance brain health research and support for those affected by cognitive impairment and dementia.
