Dr. Elaine Wiersma
Elaine is the current Chair of the Department of Health Sciences (2024-2027) and an Associate Professor, completing an MA and PhD from the University of Waterloo. Having spent many years working with older adults in practice and research, particularly individuals with dementia, Elaine’s research aims to tell people’s stories in ways that challenge stereotypes and misconceptions of older people, particularly people living with dementia. Advocacy, inclusion, and rights form the fundamental values underlying her work with people with dementia. Using critical qualitative methodologies, her research spans community and long-term care, exploring aging and dementia care, contexts of rural and northern communities, and quality of life issues.
- PhD, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (University of Waterloo, 2007)
- MA, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (University of Waterloo, 2003)
- Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (Brock University, 2001)
- GERO 2011 Overview of Dementia Studies (2026)
- GERO 4719: Advanced Seminar in Gerontology (2020, 2019)
- GERO 5710: Research & Theory in Gerontology (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018)
- HESC 5010: Foundations of Population and Public Health (2026, 2025, 2024, 2022)
- HESC 5050: Health Policy
- HESC 5035: Qualitative Inquiry I (2016, 2013, 2012)
- HESC 5036: Qualitative Inquiry ll (2023, 2022)
- HESC 5210: Health Promotion and Illness Prevention (2022, 2021, 2020, 2018)
- HESC 5211: Public Health Ethics (2016, 2015, 2013)
- HESC 5710: Obesity Discourse in Society (2016)
- GERO 5710: Research & Theory in Gerontology (2018)
- HESC 5710: Aging in Rural & Northern Communities (2013)
- HESC 5750: Women and Dementia (2017)
- GERO 5790: Gerontology Research Seminar (2019)
My research focuses broadly on a number of areas related to aging. First, I am interested in dementia, quality of life issues in dementia, and issues around the preservation of self and personhood particularly as it relates to social inclusion. Research in this area includes the outdoors and dementia, social inclusion, self-management of dementia, and understanding issues of dementia in rural, northern communities. Second, I am interested in understanding the role of place in people's experiences, particularly in rural and remote communities and in long-term care facilities. Some of my research in this area to date has focused on dementia in the outdoors, aging in rural northern communities, residents' experiences of long-term care, staff's experiences of long-term care, and palliative care in long-term care. Third, I am interested in bridging the gap between research and practice. As such, I run a number of community based initiatives for people living with dementia and their families, including:
- Dementia Cafe: A Place to Belong--a social program for people living with dementia and their families (in partnership with Urban Abbey)
- Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow--a seasonal outdoor, nature based, gardening adult day program (to be located at the Centennial Botanical Conservatory in 2027)
I also support and facilitate the North West Dementia Working Group (NWGWG), a grassroots advocacy group of people living with dementia and care partners advocating for the rights of people with dementia and their families in northwestern Ontario.
- Dementia in the Outdoors (funded by CIHR)
- Humour and Laughter in the Context of Dementia
- Building Community Capacity for the Inclusion of People with Dementia (Dr. Alison Phinney, PI; funded by PHAC)
- Women with Dementia Living in the Community (in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, funded by Women's College XChange)
- (re)Creating the Self: An Arts Program for People with Dementia (in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay Art Gallary)
- Making Special: Living with Hope and Joy in the Midst of Dementia (Dr. Pauline Sameshima, Principal Investigator)
- Evaluating Taking Control of Our Lives--A Self-Management Program for People with Dementia (in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario)
- Mapping the Dementia Journey: People and Pathways (in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario)
- Developing a Self-Management Program for People Living with Dementia: Integrating Research, Care Practices, and Client Perspectives Through Partnership (funded by CIHR)
- The Experience of Aging in Northwestern Ontario: Economic Instability and Rural Communities (funded by SSHRC)
- Understanding Dementia in Rural Northern Communities (funded by the Alzheimer Society of Canada Research Grants Program)