Janet Love

(Formerly Stepaniuk)

Program affiliation: Lifespan development

Supervisors: Dr. Stuart MacDonald

Research interests

Currently I am in the 2nd year of my PhD in with a focus on older adulthood. My Master’s thesis, under the supervision of Dr. Holly Tuokko, Neuropsychologist in the department of Psychology and Director of the Centre on Aging, investigated the impact of transportation and its contribution to a healthy community for older adults. Currently, I am working with Dr. Stuart MacDonald, an Associate Professor with the department of psychology who has an interest in individual differences in cognitive aging and the cognitive neuroscience of aging. My present research includes: 1) Identifying individuals at risk of functional impairment with the moderating impact of multi-year change in cognition and sensory markers; 2) Hypertension and health markers for those at risk of functional impairment; and 3) Exploring the views of Canadian Psychologists toward indentifying at-risk older drivers.

Awards

2009 - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship – 3 Year Doctoral Award
2009 - Robert and Douglas Vickery Graduate Award
2009 - Canadian Institute of Health Research Award
2009 - British Columbia Psychogeriatric Association, Research Award
2009 - Canadian Association of Gerontology-Excellence in Research on Aging (ERA) Award
2009 - McColl Brothers Scholarship
2009 - BC Network of Aging Researchers – Student Award
2008 - W. H. Gaddes Award
2008 - British Columbia Psychogeriatric Association, Research Award
2008 - Roy Watson Scholarship
2007 - Nina Chappell Scholarship – Student Researcher in Aging Award
2007 - CIHR Summer Program in Aging
2006 - First Place – PSI CHI/J. P. Guilford Undergraduate Research

Representative publications and presentations

Love, J. (2009). Perspectives on transportation: building on the age-friendly cities project - a World Health Organization initiative. Master’s Thesis. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1329.

Stepaniuk, J., Ritchie, L. & Tuokko, H. (2008). Neuropsychiatric Impairments as Predictors of Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, 23(4), 326-333.

Stepaniuk, J. A., Tuokko, H. A., McGee, P., Garrett, D., D., & Benner, E. L. (2008) Group Transit Training and the Older Driver. Preventative Medicine. Special Issue on Health and Transportation, 47, 335-337.

Tuokko, H., McGee, P., Stepaniuk, J., & Benner, E. (2007). The Older and Wiser Rider: An Examination of Transportation for Older Drivers. Prepared for the Capital Regional District Traffic Safety Commission and BC Transit.

Stepaniuk, J., & Tuokko, H. (2007). Looking for the first signs of those at risk for dementia. Canadian Nursing Home, 18 (1), 17-20.