Guide to Participating in Research
Learn about participating in research through MINT Memory Clinic.
Interested in participating in research studies? See our current study list HERE
Volunteering for research studies is completely optional. Your decision to take part in any research studies will not affect the services you receive from your MINT Memory Clinic site.
Download our printable brochure: Patient and Care Partner Guide to Participating in Research
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 Clinic sites sometimes conduct their own research but outside researchers may also ask for volunteers. All research studies that we may connect you with through our Research Match program have been reviewed and approved by the MINT Memory Clinic 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 site for a preference form. You are not committed to participate in any research study by filling out this form. This form will then be submitted to the MINT Clinic Research Match coordinator.
If your preferences match approved studies, we will give you information about them. If you would like matched studies to contact you directly, you can choose how they do so. You can then decide whether or not you’d like to participate.
Your preferences will be kept securely and you can opt out at any time.
Your decision will not affect the services you receive in your MINT Memory Clinic site.
MINT Clinic Research Match
The MINT Clinic Research Match program aims to connect individuals - persons with dementia and other memory challenges, and care partners - to research studies to improve care.
MINT Memory Clinic will provide access to matching services to both interested research participants and researchers for studies that meet ethical and other requirements. The study matching process is provided with support from the Ontario Brain Institute, Ontario Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative, and Baycrest. MINT Memory Clinic does not guarantee recruitment for studies as recruitment is dependent on your own preferences, and does not accept 'finders fee' payments.
Volunteering for research studies is completely optional. Your decision whether to take part or not in a research study will not affect the services you receive from your MINT Memory Clinic site.
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
