معرفی
Dr. Sharon June Kaasalainen is a Professor in the School of Nursing at McMaster University, where she joined in 2002 as an Assistant Professor. She holds an Associate membership in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University and serves as an Honorary Professor at Queens University Belfast. Her academic journey includes completing a two-year CHSRF Post Doctoral Fellowship at McMaster University in 2007.
Dr. Kaasalainen's research focuses primarily on palliative care, dementia care, and long-term care settings, with particular emphasis on pain management, advance care planning, and end-of-life care for elderly populations. Her work addresses critical gaps in understanding how to improve quality of life and care delivery for residents with advanced dementia and other complex conditions in long-term care environments. She has developed and evaluated innovative programs such as Namaste Care and the Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care (SPA-LTC) program.
Her scholarly output shows consistent focus on improving palliative approaches in long-term care, with recent publications (2023-2025) emphasizing implementation science, international collaborations, and innovative interventions for dementia care. Her research increasingly incorporates mixed methods approaches and emphasizes patient and family-centered care models.
- Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Career Scientist (2008-2011)
- HSFO/Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Cardiovascular Nursing Research Fellow (2012)
- Elizabeth J. Latimer Prize in Palliative Care (2022)
Dr. Kaasalainen has led numerous research initiatives focused on improving care models in long-term care settings. Her work has received significant funding, including a $3.2 million New Frontiers in Research Fund grant. She actively collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and international partners to develop and implement evidence-based practices in palliative care. Her research program has notably addressed the challenges of providing quality palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic and developing strategies to support family caregivers.
Dr. Kaasalainen's work has significantly influenced palliative care practices in long-term care homes through programs like Namaste Care, which focuses on providing comfort and meaningful engagement for residents with advanced dementia. Her research team has developed educational resources and implementation frameworks to build staff capacity in delivering person-centered palliative approaches across Canadian long-term care settings.
