This week, the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) celebrated an important milestone as the Calgary Data Collection Site welcomed the 1,000^th participant through its doors.

“Thanks to our participants and dedicated staff, researchers from across the country will be able to study and better understand the aging process. This will lead to benefits down the road in ensuring Canadians age well,” said Dr. David Hogan, a professor and lead site investigator for the CLSA at the University of Calgary and the Brenda Strafford Foundation Chair in Geriatric Medicine at the University.

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) will follow 50,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 85 for 20 years. The long-term study, which has 11 research sites, collects information on the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and economic aspects of people’s lives as they age.

Participation in the CLSA involves two different groups. Some people are followed by telephone interviews, while others take part in a home interview and a visit to a data collection site.

During data collection site visits, physical assessments are taken, including height and weight; vision and hearing tests; blood pressure and cardiovascular measures; a bone density scan and strength and balance tests. Participants also take part in memory tests and are asked questions about their health and well-being, including physical, social and emotional functioning, lifestyle and behaviours, as well as health conditions and diseases.

Eleven percent of the Albertan population is aged 65 and over. With the proportion of seniors steadily increasing in Western Canada, Albertans are set to play an integral role in this landmark, nation-wide study. The Heritage Medical Research Clinic houses the only CLSA Data Collection Site in Alberta. Over the next two years, the site will receive another 2,000 participant visits.

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