$200,000 awarded to Dr. Andrea Parks at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Approximately 10% of people living with ALS will receive their diagnosis before turning 50. Younger middle-aged adults with ALS often face unique challenges regarding their family, employment, and financial responsibilities. Yet, there is limited research to better understand the complex physical, psychological, and social challenges faced by younger middle-aged adults with ALS and their families.
Dr. Andrea Parks aims to better understand these unexplored age-specific complexities. With this award, Dr. Parks will conduct a thorough review of existing knowledge about how age and life stage impact the experience of ALS, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects, as well as care needs and access to support services. Additionally, 25 younger middle-aged adults diagnosed with ALS at 55 or younger, along with 25 family caregivers, will participate in interviews to delve into their experiences.
Ultimately, Dr. Parks aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by both younger middle-aged adults with ALS and their family caregivers. Her research will provide foundational knowledge that can be used to help guide the development of innovative, age-group appropriate interventions and support services for this specific population.
Dr. Parks’ career goal is to become an academic clinician-scientist, integrating clinical practice with a research program that addresses issues that significantly impact people affected by ALS and their families. This work builds upon a previous award where Dr. Parks set out to characterize the different types of psychological distress observed in ALS patients, with the long-term goal of developing a routine screening tool to enhance early identification of psychological distress and guide appropriate management strategies. Dr. Parks brings a unique expertise to the field that will help provide Canadians living with ALS the highest quality of care. While completing this fellowship, she will also be working towards a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research.