Guide to Participating in Research
Learn about participating in research through MINT Memory Clinic.
Download our full brochure: Patient and Care Partner Guide to Participating in Research
See our current list of research studies here
Volunteering for research studies is completely optional. Your decision to take part in a research study will not affect the services you receive from your MINT Memory Clinic site.
Why participate in research?
Research can help us learn things including the best ways to support people living with memory loss or dementia, safe ways to provide care and treatment and how to improve quality of life. Through research, scientists may eventually find a cure for dementia.
By participating in studies, you can help researchers to understand and improve memory care.
Who is doing research?
MINT Memory Clinics sometimes conduct their own research but outside researchers may also ask for volunteers. All research studies that we may connect you with through the MINT Memory Clinic Patient Preference Program for Research have been reviewed and approved by the MINT Memory Clinic Regional Research Coordinator and an appropriately-structured Canadian research ethics board or Health Canada.
What does participation look like?
There are different types of studies that you may consider volunteering for.
Clinical: You might receive a new drug, assistive device, way of receiving health care, or diet or exercise program to help researchers learn how well they work.
Observational: You might complete a questionnaire or be interviewed to help researchers find what you and others have in common.
Participatory: You might be asked about a specific topic through an interview or focus group to help researchers understand your experiences and point of view.
The researcher will tell you about potential risks and benefits, as well as explain clearly what will be expected of you if you join the study, before asking you whether or not you want to participate.
How do I participate?
Ask your MINT Memory Clinic for a Patient Preference form. You are not committed to participating in any research study by filling out this form. This form will then be submitted to the Research Coordinator.
If your preferences and eligibility match an approved research study, the MINT Memory Clinic Research Coordinator will contact you with further details. You can then make the decision whether or not you’d like to participate.
Your preferences will be kept securely for up to three years after which you will be asked if you are still interested in being matched to potential studies. You can opt out at any time.
Your decision will not affect the services you receive in your MINT Memory Clinic.
