Research Focus
Aging & Brain Health
My clinical and research efforts are directed at preserving communication abilities for people on a continuum between healthy aging and language-based dementia, known as primary progressive aphasia (PPA). I developed wordfinding.ca, a website for older adults experiencing tip-of-the-tongue moments, to counteract the influence of aging on word retrieval. As well, I am involved in the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA; ccna-ccnv.ca), examining how cognitive and social stimulation may reduce the risk of dementia. I also developed the first comprehensive program for people with PPA and their caregivers and am continuously seeking new, effective ways of stimulating language in PPA through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).