The Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging (CIRA) began as an idea and quickly grew into an official startup research organization. Since its incorporation in the spring of 2018, CIRA has received several research funding grants and has fostered research collaborations with stakeholders, researchers, and academics from across Canada. To date, our research has spanned many topics that impact older adults including medication management, emotional well-being, physical health, safety, and cognitive ability.
The CIRA office is housed within the sprawling York Care Centre campus in Fredericton, New Brunswick's largest long-term care facility. We conduct research that enriches the lives of residents, staff, and family members.
New Brunswick is currently facing a unique challenge – our population is aging at a rapid pace. In 2017 it was estimated that, of the 770,000 residents, approximately 155,000 were 65 years of age or older. At the current rate, seniors will make up nearly a third of the New Brunswick population by 2036. By that time, the rest of the country will be facing the same challenge.
The need for research on aging is vital in New Brunswick, as the results from our province will help create healthy, manageable, and adaptable models on aging for the rest of Canada. CIRA is proud to be a New Brunswick-led organization and add to the current research on aging.
