Dr. Marianne Saragosa assumed the inaugural Embedded Nurse Scientist at our Centre of Nursing Excellence within the Science of Care Institute in February 2024. She was appointed Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto in March 2024. Dr. Saragosa’s research program focuses on care transitions for older adults, including those with dementia and their caregivers, aging in place for the socially and medically vulnerable, and supporting practice-based research at Sinai Health, including understanding how to engage patients and care partners in the research process. In 2023, Dr. Saragosa received the Alzheimer Society Research Program Postdoctoral Award for Developing a Provincial Dementia Care Pathway using Co-creation Research under the supervision of Dr. Michelle Nelson at our Science of Care Institute.
Dr. Saragosa continues to build her research program on her doctoral and postdoctoral work by seeking to create a person-centred and person-facing digital dementia care pathway that would enable those living with dementia and their caregivers to receive more personalized support and resources tailored to their care needs through an accessible application. This includes leading the Canadian Institutes for Health Research’s Planning & Dissemination Grant entitled Working Together to Meet the Needs of Older Adults Living in NORCs: Exploring the Intersection of Equity, Technology and Aging-in-Place. This grant provides an opportunity to develop a research agenda with community members and partners to identify how technology can support a diverse aging population in remaining in their homes. This study is guided by an intersectoral-based Project Advisory Committee formed by eight individuals, including two NORC residents and representatives from Circle of Care, City of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, University Health Network, Trillium Health Partners, and Ernest and Young. Dr. Saragosa’s reach extends nationally, serving as one of the lead evaluators for the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing and an editorial team member for a special issue of the International Journal on Integrated Care focusing on the Voluntary and Community Sector in Integrated Care.
