Research Interests
My primary area of interest is the impact of social support on cognitive function in older adults. During my Master's, I was able to utilize the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to investigate the association between social support availability and executive function in Canadian adults aged 45 to 85. My PhD research will build upon these foundational analyses to further explore the impact of social support and social isolation on the cognitive health of older adults.
My research interests include social support, dementia, cognitive function, epidemiology, lifestyle and social determinants of health, and the relationship between art and cognition.
Education
BA 2016, Psychology (minor in Social Development Studies), University of Waterloo
MSc 2019, Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo
Thesis: The Association Between Social Support Availability and Executive Function in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Selected Publications
- Quick M; Rutter E; Tyas SL; Maxwell C; Law J; Oremus M. (2022). Urban-rural variation in the association between social support availability and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults: Results from the baseline Tracking Cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Health & Place, 77, 102894.
- Maxwell CJ; Dayes L; Amuah JE; Hogan DB; Lane NE; McGrail KM; Gruneir A; Griffith LE; Chamberlain SA; Rutter EC; Corbett K; Hoben M. (2022). Coping behaviours and health status during the COVID-19 pandemic among caregivers of assisted living residents in western Canada. J Am Med Dir Assoc. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.12.017.
- Rutter, EC; Tyas, SL; Maxwell, CJ; Law, J; O’Connell, ME; Konnert, CA; Oremus, M. (2020). Association between functional social support and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults: a protocol for a systematic review. BMJ open, 10(4), e037301. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037301
Selected Presentations
-
Rutter, EC, Oremus, M; Maxwell, CJ; O'Connell, ME; Tyas, SL. (2021). Low social support is associated with low executive function in women but not in men: Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Biennial National Conference: Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
-
Rutter, EC. (2020). Social support availability and executive function in the baseline cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Presentation for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) webinar series. Available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QgJiWEdiOk
-
Rutter, EC. (2019). Perceived availability of social support is associated with executive function in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Presentation at the Symposium on Aging Research, Waterloo, Canada.
-
Rutter, EC; Oremus, M; Maxwell, CJ; O'Connell, ME; Tyas, SL. (2019). Is low social support availability associated with executive function? Results from the comprehensive cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (Poster). Biennial National Conference: Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ottawa, Canada.
-
Rutter, EC; Oremus, M; Maxwell, CJ; Tyas, SL. (2018). Is perceived availability of social support associated with better memory in older adults? (Poster). Symposium on Aging Research, Waterloo, Canada.
Teaching Experience
Guest Lectures:
- Making art with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and care partners as part of the Meet Me at The Gallery program. Invited Guest Lecture. Undergraduate course: Alzheimer’s disease: from cell to society. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada. Fall 2020
Campus Community and Volunteer Activities
- Founder and Presenter of Art In Health, a monthly art group bringing members of the SPHS grad community together through the exploration of different artistic techniques, 2022-Present
- Graduate Representative, SPHS Graduate Executive Committee, 2021-2023
-
Graduate Representative, Applied Health Science Mental Health and Wellness Committee: Graduate Student Subcomittee, University of Waterloo, 2018
-
Co-President, School of Public Health and Health Systems Graduate Student Association, University of Waterloo, 2017-2018
Awards
-
Network for Aging Research (NAR) Catalyst Grant competition, 2022-2023
-
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), University of Waterloo, 2021-2022; 2022-2023
-
President's Scholarship 2021-2022; 2022-2023
-
Best Podium Presentation Awarded at the Symposium on Aging Research (SoAR) Conference at the University of Waterloo, Spring 2019
-
University of Waterloo Provost Graduate Scholarship, School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 2016