Why did you choose to explore research at McMaster University?

I chose to explore research at McMaster University because it is one of the most research-intensive universities in Canada and has a strong focus on aging research.  

Why did you get involved in your specific area of research and what interests you about it?

I am interested in research on dementia care based on my clinical and personal experiences. I believe that there is a need to work with care partners to develop interventions to support their delivery of care for persons living with dementia. 

What are your career aspirations or plans following completion of your current training?

I hope to acquire a faculty position at McMaster University following my postdoctoral fellowship. 

What excites you most about your research?

What excites me the most about my research is when I receive positive feedback from care partners about the influence of interventions to support their wellbeing. I equally get excited when I receive thoughtful feedback from care partners about areas for improvement for interventions. 

Why do you think patient-oriented research is important in the research you are involved in?

I think patient-oriented research is so important in the field of dementia research because there is a strong need to develop tailorable interventions for this population that meets the current realities, needs, and abilities of care partners and persons living with dementia. 

What do you find most challenging as a trainee in your area of research and how have you overcome these challenges?

What I find most challenging as a trainee is recruitment. I am not sure if the challenges with recruitment ever ends but I know that once recruitment gets going how excited potential participants and researchers become. I have overcome these challenges by building networks with various organizations and asking others about what worked well for them with regards to recruitment. 

How do you think your research can improve patient-oriented research in aging and health?

I believe that my research can improve patient-oriented research in dementia research by determining how best to involve persons living with dementia and care partners in designing interventions virtually. By involving persons with lived experience this can help to ensure that interventions are meeting their expectations and can potentially support their quality of life. 

What experiences or advice would you like to share with prospective/new trainees?

The advice that I would give new trainees is to keep an open mind to everything being shared by persons with lived experience because every bit of information is useful to inform the development of interventions. 

What would you tell someone who is thinking about getting involved in patient-oriented research in aging and health?

I would tell them to take some time to develop multiple recruitment strategies and put in place multiple strategies to support the engagement of persons with lived experience in research. 

What has surprised you most about working with patient partners in your area of research?

How honest and thoughtful research partners can be. They are so forthcoming with their stories and always want to help others in a similar situation through their involvement in research. 

What do you wish other people knew about patient-oriented research in aging and health?

It is important to review guidelines about how best to involve persons with lived experience in research prior to initiating research engagement activities. CIHR has excellent resources for the engagement of persons with lived experience in research.  

Tell us about someone who has influenced your decision to work in your specific area of research.

My mother would share stories about being a young caregiver for her grandfather living with dementia in Cambodia. Despite receiving no support and education on dementia care, my mother would share how she found ways to care for her grandfather by offering his favourite snacks and beverages, telling stories, and providing touch activities such as hair combing.

Unfortunately, her grandfather went missing at the start of the chaos of the civil war in 1975 and was never found again. I always felt passionate about ensuring that caregivers are well supported to provide care for persons living with dementia. It is my personal mission to ensure that persons living with dementia receive care that supports their personhood. I believe that more research still needs to be done related to psychosocial interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of caregivers and persons living with dementia. 

What qualities do you consider important for success in your area of research?

I believe that the qualities that are important to be successful in dementia research are empathy and patience. It is important to recognize the changes that care partners and persons living with dementia are going through. Their daily challenges can also impact their level of participation in research. It is also important to spend time listening to the stories of persons living with dementia and care partners before initiating research engagement activities. 

Publications

Yous, M. L., Ploeg, J., Kaasalainen, S., & Martin, L. S. (2019). Nurses’ experiences in caring for older adults with responsive behaviors of dementia in acute care. SAGE Open Nursing, 5, 2377960819834127.

Yous, M. L., Ploeg, J., Kaasalainen, S., & McAiney, C. (2021). Namaste care delivered by caregivers of community?dwelling older adults with moderate to advanced dementia: A mixed methods study protocol. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(2), 1027-1036.

Yous, M. L., Strachan, P. H., & Ploeg, J. (2020). Is feyerabendian philosophy relevant for scientific knowledge development in nursing?. Nursing Philosophy, 21(3), e12309.