DemSCAPE project aimed at building dementia-friendly communities

Simon Fraser University Department of Gerontology Research Fellow Stéphanie Lanthier-Labonté has recently joined the department. Stéphanie will be working with faculty member, Dr. Habib Chaudhury and his team on the DemSCAPE project during her time here.

We connected with Stéphanie to learn more about her research interests and the DemSCAPE project.

Tell us about yourself.

Hello! My name is Stéphanie Lanthier-Labonté. I am currently completing a fellowship at Simon Fraser University in Environmental Gerontology. I am a public health and preventive medicine physician. I did my studies at the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec. I will be working as a professor at the Université de Sherbrooke and public health physician for the Estrie region in Quebec in summer 2023, working in health promotion and environmental health.

What current research are you working on?

I am part of the DemSCAPE project team: Developing Supportive Neighbourhood Built Environment to foster Mobility, Engagement and Social Participation among Community-dwelling Adults living with Dementia. It is a community engaged project in two phases to develop evidence-based knowledge and make sure this knowledge is being transferred and useful for communities.

What makes you passionate about this project?

DemSCAPE is a cutting-edge project, a perfect example of an innovative community engaged research. It is anchored in the community. Adults living with dementia, community partners and municipal representatives are designing the project with the academic team. DemSCAPE is designed to create useful and grounded knowledge for communities as the environment plays an important role in enhancing the health of its population. Communities are working hard to be inclusive, and this type of project helps them to target innovative ways to be more inclusive and to produce upstream health.

What outcome would you like to see from this project?

Communities that foster mobility, engagement and social participation for adults living with dementia by creating a healthy and supportive environment.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow with our engaged and innovative team from the gerontology department team at SFU.