The Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with dementia and their caregivers. We are excited to offer research opportunities for post-doctoral, PhD, Masters, and undergraduate trainees.
Join our team of Carswell Trainees or Fellows and contribute to groundbreaking research in the field of dementia care. Explore these exciting research opportunities with us and make a meaningful impact on dementia care and quality of life.
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Primary Supervision – Post-Doctoral Trainees
02/2023–ongoing Hung Nguyen, Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care Fellow, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, project: evaluating the impact of day programs on individuals with dementia, their caregivers, and the healthcare system
Primary Supervision – PhD Students
09/2024–ongoing Benoosh Zarandi, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, project: TBD (situated within the day program work)
06/2024–ongoing Hom Shrestha, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, project: TBD (situated within the day program work
01/2024–ongoing Genevieve Odoom, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, project: persons with dementia in Alternative Level of Care (ALC) acute care beds
01/2021–ongoing Nick Millar (co-supervision with Katelyn Tate), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Implementing age friendly care in hospital settings
06/2020–ongoing Ambreen Gowani (co-supervision with Colleen Norris), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Validation of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ) for use in Pakistan
01/2020–ongoing Rashmi Devkota (co-supervision with Greta Cummings), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Unmet social care needs of older adults living in the community. Has worked with me as a Graduate Research Assistant since
01/2020–ongoing Shovana Shrestha (co-supervision with Greta Cummings), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Knowledge translation strategies to improve care practices to manage chronic pain in nursing home residents. Has worked with me as a Graduate Research Assistant since
Primary Supervision – Masters Students
[Open for MRP and thesis supervision]
Thesis Committees – PhD Students
05/2024–ongoing Tareq Khalaf, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, supervisor: Farah Ahmad, project: Social prescribing for adolescents with Autism
03/2023–ongoing Bella Grunfeld, School of Nursing, York University, supervisor: Mary Fox, project: avoidable transitions of nursing home residents to acute care.
07/2021–ongoing Morten Lønhaug-Næss, Department of Health and Care Sciences, Faculty of Health, UiT – Arctic University of Norway, supervisor: Jill-Marit Moholt, project: Older adults’ frequent hospital admissions
08/2019–ongoing Katharina Choroschun, Faculty of Health Science, University of Bielefeld, Germany, supervisor: Ralf Ulrich, project: Comparing length of stay, mortality and associated factors between German and Western Canadian nursing homes
Thesis Committees – Major Research Paper advisor – MSc/MA Students
[Open for Masters committee membership and MRP evaluator roles]
Supervision of Student Research Assistants
04/2024–ongoing Tanveer Cheema, undergraduate student with the Department of Biology, Faculty of
Science, York University
04/2024–ongoing Irene Slavescu, undergraduate student with the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2024–ongoing Arvin Shakibai, undergraduate student with the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2024–ongoing Gabrielle Situ, undergraduate student with the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2024–ongoing Ramine Askaryar, undergraduate student with the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2024–ongoing Mohit Prashar, undergraduate student with the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2024–ongoing Zachary Hew, undergraduate student with the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2024–ongoing Hadier Kandil, undergraduate student with the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University
03/2024–ongoing Soroush Shirazi, Bachelor of Health Sciences, Queen’s University
01/2024–ongoing Nicole Faull, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
Primary Supervision – Post-Doctoral Trainees
09/2023-07/2024 Atiqur Rahman, Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care Fellow, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, project: evaluating the impact of day programs on individuals with dementia, their caregivers, and the healthcare system
Primary Supervision – PhD Students
09/2021–07/2022 Melissa Ristau, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Quality of life in long-term care residents (paused her PhD program)
Thesis Committees – PhD Students
02/2020–04/2024 Cass Dictus, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, USA, supervisor: Anna Beeber, project: Burdensome symptoms and potentially inappropriate care at the end of life of nursing home residents
12/2020–05/2023 Natalie Waldforst, Faculty of Nursing, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar, supervisor: Hermann Brandenburg, project: scoping review on the role of nursing leaders in implementation of evidence-based practice in acute care hospitals
10/2019–12/2019 Rashmi Devkota, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Donna Wilson, project: Unmet social care needs of older adults living in the community
10/2019–12/2019 Shovana Shrestha, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Donna Wilson, project: Knowledge translation strategies to improve care practices to manage chronic pain in nursing home residents
04/2019–05/2020 Ambreen Gowani, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Gail Low, Validation of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ) for use in Pakistan
03/2019–11/2019 Brittany Elliott, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, co-supervisors: Wendy Duggleby & Hannah O’Rourke, project: evaluating strategies to mitigate loneliness in nursing home residents
02/2019–12/2021 Bianca Shieu, Faculty of Nursing, University of North Carolina, USA, supervisor: Ruth Anderson, Comparison of older (65+ years) and younger ( <65 years) nursing home residents
01/2019–04/2022 Kaitlyn Tate, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Greta Cummings, project: Developing and testing theoretical models of factors influencing older persons’ transitions to facility-based continuing care settings
06/2018–12/2019 Elizabeth Allen, Faculty of Nursing, University of North Carolina, USA, supervisor: Anna Beeber, project: The association of pain and physical functioning in nursing home residents
Primary Supervision – Masters Students
05/2021–07/2024 Muriel Valenzuela, MN (course-based, research stream), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Facility-level factors in assisted living that explain variation in resident depression during COVID-19
02/2023–09/2023 Gabrielle Dupont, Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care Fellow, MA student with the Graduate Program in Health, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, project: Critically analyzing system level factors to help combat social isolation in long-term care: Promising practices and the way forward
01/2021–04/2023 Cassidy Trotter, MSc (course-based, NP stream), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: The influence of nursing home care staff quality of work-life on residents’ quality of life
09/2020–04/2022 Bita Mirashemi, MSc (course-based, leadership stream), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, capping project: Effectiveness of strategies to prevent or mitigate moral distress in nurses working in hospitals.
Masters Thesis Committees or Major Research Paper Evaluator
03/2024–09/2024 Kristopher Lam, MA student with the Graduate Program in Health, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, Major Research Paper
05/2019–12/2020 Manisha Dhungana, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Shannon MacDonald, project: Immunization status of children at Kindergarten in Alberta
06/2018–04/2021 Helen Doan, MSc in Nursing student, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta; member of Helen’s MSc committee (primary supervisor: Carole Estabrooks)
Primary Supervision – Undergraduate Students
10/2021–04/2023 Purvesh Rabhari, After Degree Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Impact of COVID-19 on family caregivers of assisted living residents
09/2021–04/2023 Kelly Phan-Vuong, After Degree Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Impact of COVID-19 on family caregivers of assisted living residents
07/2021–06/2022 Vidhi Patel, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Exploring the impact of physical activity on mental health and psychosocial well-being in new immigrant children to Canada
07/2021–06/2022 Rebecca Sugars, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Exploring the impact of physical activity on mental health and psychosocial well-being in new immigrant children to Canada
07/2021–06/2022 Mansimran Virk, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Exploring the impact of physical activity on mental health and psychosocial well-being in new immigrant children to Canada
05/2021–04/2023 Linda Aghanya, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Impact of COVID-19 on family caregivers of assisted living residents
06/2020–04/2023 Mary Araneta, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Impact of COVID-19 on family caregivers of assisted living residents
05/2020–06/2022 Ian Simons, After Degree Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Feasibility of routine quality of life measurement in nursing homes
05/2019–06/2022 Jenny Lam, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Feasibility of routine quality of life measurement in nursing homes
05/2019–04/2021 Adam Walls, After Degree Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Realist review on intended and unintended consequences of aging in place policies
05/2019–04/2021 Kolby Krueger, After Degree Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Realist review on intended and unintended consequences of aging in place policies
05/2019–04/2021 Mikayla Lindsell, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Systematic review on the association between staffing and client, family and care staff outcomes in home care and assisted living
05/2019–04/2021 Muriel Valenzuela, Collaborative Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, project: Systematic review on the association between staffing and client, family and care staff outcomes in home care and assisted living
Supervision of Student Research Assistants
04/2023–08/2024 Amir Sadeghi, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
05/2023–03/2024 Stella Medvedyuk, Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care Fellow, PhD student with the Graduate Program in Health, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
05/2023–04/2024 Melat Sani, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University 12/2022–ongoing Madison McConnell, Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care Fellow, MA student with the Graduate Program in Critical Disability Studies, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
05/2023–04/2024 Alon Fisch, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health, York University
12/2022–04/2024 Samadhi Rankothge, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
12/2022–04/2024 Sangye Dolma, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
12/2022–04/2024 Dawn Garness, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University
12/2022–04/2024 Amyna Ismail Rehmani, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, MN student with the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
12/2022–04/2024 Alesia Au, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, MN student with the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
12/2022–04/2024 Hasan Syed, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
12/2022–04/2024 Vishal Jacob, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
05/2023–04/2024 Baran Yousefi Ghasabsaraei, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
05/2023–04/2024 Helen Acosta, Research Assistant in the Counting What Counts study, undergraduate student with the School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health, York University
05/2023–12/2023 Gabrielle Dupont, Helen Carswell Chair in Dementia Care Fellow, MA student with the Graduate Program in Health, School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University
04/2020–07/2022 Jenny Lam, research assistant on various of my projects, BScN Honors, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
05/2019–06/2023 Rashmi Devkota, PhD student, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, research assistant on various of my research projects
05/2019–04/2024 Shovana Shrestha, PhD student, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, research assistant on various of my research projects
06/2016–06/2023 Ling (Lily) Lu, BSc in Nursing, MN (NP stream), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, research assistant on various of my research projects
External/Arms-Length Examiner
Apr 17, 2023 Beverly Beattie, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University, supervisor: Mina Singh, PhD defence, project: Nursing Students Comfort with Palliative and End of Life Care
Nov 21, 2022 Abrar AlAmrani (PhD student), School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University, supervisor: Catriona Buick, PhD proposal defence, project: Exploration of Effective Nursing Shift Handover in the Intensive Care Units in Saudi Arabia: Adaptation and Validation of the Handover Evaluation Scale
Mar 15, 2022 Arlynn Brodie (PhD student), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, supervisor: Tammy Hopper, PhD defence, project: Oral Care in Long Term Care Homes – An Institutional Ethnography.
Mar 11, 2022 Carly Whittemore (PhD student), School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMasters University, supervisor: Maureen Markle-Reid, PhD defence, project: Selfreported health among community-dwelling older adults: A multimethod study to understand the complexity and role of adaptation to health adversity.
Jan 31, 2022 Robin Humble (PhD student), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Shannon MacDonald, oral proposal exam, project: Childhood routine vaccination among underserved populations in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jul 30, 2020 Christopher Picard (MN student), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, supervisor: Manal Kleib, oral proposal exam, project: Nurses’ Narrative Triage Data: A Scoping Review.