The University of Waterloo’s latest Schlegel research chair is a leading expert on nutrition and healthy aging.
WATERLOO, Ont. (Monday, Mar. 19, 2012) - The University of Waterloo’s latest Schlegel research chair is a leading expert on nutrition and healthy aging whose work will improve the nutrition of older adults, helping them lead longer and healthier lives.
Professor Heather Keller is the newly appointed Schlegel research chair in nutrition and aging at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging. She is a registered dietitian who has led and participated in national and provincial projects aimed at supporting the nutritional health of older adults.
“The University of Waterloo benefits greatly from the expertise of the Schlegel research chairs, and we value Professor Keller’s contributions towards improving the health and well-being of our aging population,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo.
Keller works with practitioners, families and older adults in community and clinical settings to share knowledge on nutrition and aging well.
“Professor Keller is a leading expert in Canada on the importance of the mealtime experience for older adults, especially those with cognitive deficits,” said Professor Mike Sharratt, executive director, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging. “As both a PhD and registered dietitian, she brings a wealth of practical experience to our focus on nutrition and aging.”
Part of Keller’s research focuses on diet resilience and nutrition risk. These terms refer to people’s ability to maintain a healthy diet and appetite through life’s challenges, and their changing nutritional needs as they age.
“Roughly 30 to 40 per cent of people over the age of 65 have some level of nutrition risk. If we don’t fix this issue, it can lead to malnourishment,” she said. “Aside from eating food with enough nutrients, the ability to get to a store to shop or to carry groceries can also affect food intake for seniors.”
Keller will host a free public lecture at The Marketplace at the Kitchener Market from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21. Entitled Diet Resilience in Older Adults: Sustaining Health from the Inside Out, this presentation will include information on nutrient needs for healthy aging, as well as useful strategies and resources that can help older adults to stay well.
“Senior adults need more protein to maintain muscle mass,” said Keller. “And older people also have difficulties absorbing vitamin B12. A deficiency can lead to loss of function, disorientation, balance problems and falls.”
Originally from Bayfield, Ontario, Keller is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Waterloo. She earned her BASc in applied nutrition from the University of Guelph, and an MSc in nutrition from McGill. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in epidemiology and biostatistics at Western University, and worked as a faculty member in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph before joining Waterloo. Her research has appeared in several key publications and peer-reviewed journals. She currently serves on the editorial board for the Journal for Nutrition, Gerontology and Geriatrics, Journal of Aging Research Journal of the American Medical Directors Association and the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research.
To register for the lecture, please call 519.888.4567 ext. 38427 or email kmccrae@uwaterloo.ca.
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About the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging
The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, a partnership between the University of Waterloo and Schlegel Villages, launched in 2005. It offers direct links to research and expertise on aging, along with access to 11 seniors' residences across south western Ontario. These communities, housing more than 3,000 seniors, provide a continuum of care, including independent living, retirement home living, assisted-living and long-term care. Research and program innovations developed here are then disseminated to all seniors' care agencies across the province, once proven in these research and learning environments. For more details, visit www.the-ria.ca.
About the University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's technology hub, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 34,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, visit www.uwaterloo.ca.
Media Contacts:
Michelle Douglas-Mills
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Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
University of Waterloo
519.888.4567, ext. 38345
mdouglasuwaterloo.ca
Pamela Smyth
Media Relations Officer
Communications & Public Affairs
University of Waterloo
519.888.4777
psmyth@uwaterloo.ca
www.newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca
Waterloo release no. 22
