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This study investigates how older adults prefer their health and activity information to be displayed in smart home dashboards used in Ambient or Active Assisted Living environments. Although these technologies can support independent living by monitoring safety and wellbeing through non invasive sensors, adoption remains limited because older adults are often unsure who can see their personal data. Current dashboards commonly present the same information to everyone, including older adults, clinicians, caregivers, and visitors, without making a clear distinction between private viewing contexts and public viewing contexts. To address this gap, the study uses exploratory focus groups with adults aged 65 and over to examine what types of health data they feel comfortable sharing, with whom, and in which display settings. Through guided discussions, scenario based prompts, and a card sorting activity, participants classify different data types such as activity summaries, vital signs, audio, and video into categories of public, private, or context dependent visibility. The goal is to generate evidence based design insights for creating separate private and public dashboard modes that better reflect the privacy expectations of older adults. The findings will guide the creation of privacy conscious and user centered dashboards that can increase trust, autonomy, and willingness to adopt smart home health technologies.

With rising EMS call volumes, increasing offload delays, and growing emergency department congestion, Thunder Bay’s emergency healthcare systems are under mounting pressure. As one of the primary emergency service hubs for Northwestern Ontario, both the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Superior North EMS are struggling to meet escalating service demands. This collaborative project with NOSM University explores the growing frequency of Code Black events, critical blackout periods when no ambulances are available to be dispatched onto new calls. Code Black events, often caused by emergency room overcrowding and delays in transferring patients from paramedics to hospital staff, pose a significant public health risk as patients in need of potentially life-saving care may not receive treatment in time.

Recognizing that these pressures may be increasingly compounded by climate-related extreme weather events, this research will also examine how heat waves, cold snaps, and wildfires influence EMS usage and Code Blacks in the region. Using exploratory data analysis, machine learning, and predictive modelling that integrate ER, EMS, and climate data, this study aims to uncover how both environmental and system-level factors intersect to drive emergency system strain. By identifying key predictors and patterns, this research supports more effective prevention strategies, operational planning, and preparedness in the face of both rising demand and a changing climate in Thunder Bay and beyond.

Extreme heat events in Canada pose a significant threat to public health, especially affecting vulnerable groups such as the elderly and individuals with pre-existing health conditions, who often spend considerable time indoors. Increasing indoor temperatures during heatwaves can worsen health problems and lead to heat-related illnesses...