Not many people can say they have been involved in one of the longest research studies in Canadian history. Since 1996, Madelyn Hall has worked as a research associate for the Aging in Manitoba study (AIM), a study that originally began in 1971.

"The AIM study is the longest continuous study of aging in Canada and it’s the only longitudinal study that combines personal interview data and complete health utilization data," says Hall.

When the study began in 1976, there was little known about the needs of older adults in Manitoba and the resources that were available to them. The AIM study was created with those issues in mind, and focused on nine scales of need. These included everything from a person’s health and functional status to care and social networks. Hall says that almost 9,000 people have participated in the study.

The study included a random based sample of individuals, aged 60 and over, says Hall. There were interviews and re-interviews conducted from 1971 to 2001. These interviews tracked what was happening in the lives of the interviewees, such as how healthcare decisions were affecting their lives. They also used data from doctor and hospital visits, to see how participants’ health changed over the years.

"If all that evidence isn’t available, then policy makers won’t have the information needed to make valid decisions affecting the lives of older adults across Manitoba," says Hall.

The AIM study has yielded some very significant findings. An excerpt from an A.I.M. Fact Sheet says "The needs of older Manitobans’ have increased since 1971 in all areas except finances and availability of resources (AIM 1998)." Another startling finding was that "Social isolation is more likely for older people who feel their health is poor or who have more than four chronic illnesses (Hall and Havens 1999.)"

Among several studies that have begun as a result of AIM, one study is looking at issues surrounding people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

"We’re not only tracking the incidence and prevalence of dementia, but we want to see if those individuals also have problems with mobility, etc. We want to find out what impact dementia has on their lives, and what impact other aspects of their lives have on their conditions."

Hall says the information from this and other studies will be sent to seniors groups and organizations, to policy makers and to the public.

"We’re hoping these studies make an impact on the individual, and on the way we deliver services to older people. We want people to know aging is positive, and we’re hoping to make a positive influence on the lives of older Manitobans."

updated January 2003

back to top

His research involves a specialized part of the cell called Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) that controls protein traffic and communicates the cell’s condition. The Ameliod Beta protein stresses the ER of the cell, and the ER sends signals to the cell to commit suicide.

"We know that when the ER is stressed, cells will die," says Dr. Glazner. "What is not known are the steps between the ER getting stressed and the death of the cell. We know that it happens, now we need to find out how it happens."

The second aspect of his research is to inhibit the cell from producing Ameliod Beta so the stress to the cell can be avoided.

"The Ameliod Beta is what causes the plaques (in the brains of people with Alzheimer Disease) that kills the cell. If we are able to inhibit the production of the Ameliod Beta protein, then we will be able to prevent Alzheimer's disease."