Five years in review

In 2016, Statistics Canada announced that, for the first time ever, people over the age of 65 outnumbered children under the age of 15. This shift in demographics is an incredible triumph of public health and modern medicine—and it profoundly impacts individuals, families, communities, health care and social systems.

That same year, the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA) was established as a means to conduct research that would advance our understanding of aging, and, more specifically, to focus on the maintenance of functional autonomy as we age, a critical element to aging in place. MIRA grew from the recognition that the best way to tackle complex issues facing our aging population was through organized, interdisciplinary research teams committed to engaging the older adult community, their families, health care providers, and other key stakeholders through every stage of activity—from research and evaluation to implementation of interventions and technologies.

MIRA brings together researchers from across all six Faculties at McMaster University. Multiple perspectives ensure our research is, from the outset, optimized to create useable, practical, human-centred solutions. Although members of the Institute are diverse in their areas of expertise and fields of research, they share the goal of advancing the science of aging at McMaster University.

After several months of consultations with researchers across the University, ‘Mobility in Aging’ was identified as a research area in which McMaster had substantial expertise to become a national and international leader. Thus, the Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging (LCMA) became MIRA’s first formal centre developed to facilitate and amplify research initiatives that mitigate the risk and consequences of declining mobility with age. As MIRA grew in membership and strategic networks, further opportunities to develop additional priorities in aging, both within and outside of mobility, also grew.

This five-year report highlights the activities, successes and impact of MIRA and its focused centres and programs. As the Institute comes to the end of its fourth year of full operation, we take great pride in knowing that we have had, and continue to have, a real influence on the culture of aging research, which includes education and community-based initiatives.

I am proud of the researchers, trainees, staff, and stakeholders who have fully embraced our vision and continue to engage with enthusiasm and dedication. We’d like to thank the Deans of each Faculty who helped promote and support MIRA’s cross-disciplinary vision. Aging has been identified as a key research priority at McMaster University, and we are grateful for the ongoing support from the Provost and Vice-President, Research as well as McMaster senior leadership. Finally, the level of success we have seen since our launch in 2016 would not have been achieved without the generous donations of McMaster’s former chancellor and alumni, Suzanne Labarge, as well as the ongoing commitment and championship of Dr. Susan Denburg, Executive Vice-Dean and Associate Vice-President, Academic, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Dr. Parminder Raina

Scientific Director of the Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging And the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging