Innovations in Cognition, Communication, and Aging Research Hub

May is recognized as National Caregiver Month in Canada. It is a time to recognize the individuals who provide ongoing care and support to family members, friends, and loved ones living with health conditions, disabilities, and age-related challenges.

Caregiving often includes physical and emotional support, medical coordination, transportation, assistance with daily activities, and many other responsibilities.

While caregiving is often rooted in love and commitment, it can also impact mental health, sleep, physical activity, and overall well-being.

About 1 in 4 Canadians aged 15 and older provide care or assistance to someone living with a long-term health condition, disability, or age-related need.

At ICCAReHub, part of this work is reflected in CareFit, a community-co-created research program by Dr. Angela Roberts and other researchers at Western University through the NeuroConnect Program at the Western Institute of Neuroscience.

CareFit is designed to create brain‑health programs for caregivers of people with dementia. Using a community‑centered approach, they develop and test exercise, wellness, and social activities in collaboration with care partners and local organizations.

Learn more: https://win.uwo.ca/research/neuroconnect-program.html

A March recap worth sharing! 🎉

On March 13, 2026, two ICCAReHub members presented their research at the 2026 HRSGSS ( ) Annual Conference at Western University, themed "Healthier Together: Shaping and Strengthening the Future of Healthcare."

PhD student Olamide (Lami) Williams presented her research on mapping ICF components across assessment instruments used in Primary Progressive Aphasia clinical trials. The ICF is a biopsychosocial framework for describing health, and its components include body structures, body functions, activities/participation, and contextual factors (environmental and personal).

Master’s student Lillia Louis also presented her research on the methodologies used to explore and understand the influence of hearing loss and cognitive impairment on communication in older adults. Communication performance was assessed using the Diapix task to produce a multidimensional account of functional communication in older adults and inform the development of clinically meaningful outcome measures for individuals living with hearing loss and cognitive impairment.

Behind the scenes, Dr. Angela Roberts, Dr. Elin Karlsson, and Dr. Arman Hassanpour served as judges for oral presentations, elevator pitches, and poster sessions.

The ICCAReHub team is committed to advancing research on aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and digital health. We support the broader research community through mentorship, collaboration, and participation in academic events like the HRSGSS conference.

Black History Month may be behind us on the calendar, but its spirit carries forward.

ICCARe Hub had the opportunity to display a SuperAging Research Initiative booth at The Black History Month Opening Celebration held at Museum London! The event brought together cultural groups, organizations, and community members to celebrate, connect, and explore Black History educational resources.

Forbehn Fossungu, one of our lab’s research assistants, presented Abigail & Friends, a children’s psychoeducational book he co-authored. Through his outreach and active involvement in community initiatives, Forbehn continues to support and uplift the Black community by promoting culturally relevant resources and fostering inclusive spaces for learning and development among children and families

The SuperAging Research Initiative is focused on identifying factors that contribute to healthy cognitive aging (i.e., things that are “going right”). By taking a strength-based approach rather than a deficits-based approach, we aim to identify protective factors that support healthy cognitive aging.

ICCAReHub will be hosting this year's SuperAging Summer Social on May 14, 2026!

Join us for an afternoon of conversation, light refreshments, and a chance to learn more about the SuperAging Research Initiative, featuring a special guest speaker

Come and meet the friendly faces behind the SuperAging team! You will also have the time to connect with other guests and share your stories.

The SuperAging Research Initiative is focused on identifying factors that contribute to healthy cognitive aging (i.e., things that are “going right”). By taking a strength-based approach rather than a deficits-based approach, we aim to identify protective factors that support healthy cognitive aging.

A "SuperAger" is someone over 80 years old who possesses memory and cognitive abilities equivalent to those of healthy people 20–30 years younger.

Learn more about the SuperAging Research Initiative:

Website: www.superagingcanda.uwo.ca
Email: superagingcanada.uwo.ca
Phone: 519-661-2111x82089

Parkinson’s disease is one of the fastest-growing neurological conditions worldwide, with increasing impact on individuals, families, and health systems.

In commemoration of Parkinson's Awareness Month, this post highlights key facts about Parkinson’s in Canada and support resources.

Swipe through to learn more →

Our work at ICCAReHub explores how changes in communication and cognition can support earlier detection and better understanding of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

Understanding these changes is an important step toward improving care, support, and quality of life.

Source: Parkinson Canada (parkinson.ca)

On Saturday, March 28, 2026, ICCAReHub had the opportunity to host a SuperAging Research Initiative booth at the Black Health and Wellness Fair, hosted by London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC)
The fair brought together community members, health-care professionals, and local organizations to engage in conversations around Black health and wellness.

The event focused on topics that disproportionately impact Black communities, including chronic health conditions and mental well-being, while highlighting culturally relevant resources and approaches to care.

It also created space for meaningful dialogue, learning, and connection, supporting efforts toward more equitable and culturally responsive health care.

ICCAReHub was proud to participate and share work related to the SuperAging Research Initiative.

The SuperAging Research Initiative is focused on identifying factors that contribute to healthy cognitive aging (i.e., things that are “going right”). By taking a strength-based approach rather than a deficit-based approach, we aim to identify protective factors that support healthy cognitive aging.

Welcome to ICCAReHub!

The Innovations in Cognition, Communication, and Aging Research Hub (ICCAReHub) is led by Dr. Angela Roberts at Western University.

Our research includes using speech-based biomarkers to detect early signs of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

We also investigate factors associated with exceptional cognitive aging in adults over 80.

Another area of our work examines how cognitive impairment and hearing loss influence communication in older adults.

In addition, we develop and evaluate telehealth interventions that provide individualized communication strategy training to improve real-world communication for people with primary progressive aphasia and their partners.

Through this space, we’ll be sharing our research, projects, and insights.

Follow along to learn more about our work!