Interests
Current Work
Dementia risk reduction, brain health promotion, health aging, Indigenous health, health equity
Personal Hero
My Grandmother
Words of Strength
Relationship building, community-based learning
Vision
To reduce the scale and impact of dementia, it is important to consider the social and cultural drivers of brain health. From this, we can better develop culturally relevant tools and resources to reduce dementia risk.
Strategy
Joyla is currently working with Indigenous community partners to adapt an evidence-based tool that targets modifiable risk factors for dementia. Her goal is to ensure that this tool is culturally relevant for First Nations people in Canada.
Impact
As an Atlantic Fellow, Joyla hopes to learn about dementia from various perspectives and apply learnings to her work. Furthermore, she aims to identify new and unique ways of addressing modifiable risk factors.
Motivation
Like many countries, dementia is on the rise in Canada, and its prevalence is especially high among Indigenous groups. As such, Joyla aims to identify culturally safe lifestyle strategies to reduce dementia risk in Indigenous populations.
Education & Experience
Joyla earned her PhD in Neuroscience at Western University, working in the area of lifestyle interventions to promote brain health. After completing her PhD, she began working as a postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Walker in the field of Indigenous health. Joyla is a member of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging Team 18, focused on tackling issues in dementia care for Indigenous people. Joyla also conducts research in the area of health equity at Western University.
Send
Joyla
a NoteHave ideas for global brain health or a collaboration? I would love to hear from you. Feel free to send an introductory note.
