Mount Royal University and AgeCare are excited to announce Dr. Mohamed El-Hussein as the AgeCare Research Chair in Aging. He joins MRU’s Centre for Health and Innovation in Aging with an international expertise rooted in gerontology and cardiology and brings a commitment to advancing research and practice in aging and continuing care. El-Hussein, a professor in the Faculty of Health, Community, and Education and the School of Nursing and Midwifery, will serve as chair for a three-year term.
“Through rigorous evidence, meaningful collaboration, and forward-thinking innovation, we can reimagine aging, not as a decline to be feared, but as a phase of life defined by strength, connection, and untapped potential,” says Dr. El-Hussein. “I am thrilled to be the inaugural AgeCare Research Chair in Aging.”
In addition to working closely with the Chair in Older Adult Health, Jocelyn Rempel, El-Hussein will work closely with AgeCare and a broad spectrum of community partners to identify and address pressing, real-world challenges faced by aging Canadians.
“AgeCare’s funding of the Mount Royal University Research Chair in Aging is a decision in line with our ethos of continuous education and service to the community. This position will contribute knowledge and thought leadership not only to AgeCare, but to the Assisted Living sector as a whole, benefiting residents, families and staff across Canada,” says Salimah Walji-Shivji, AgeCare CEO. “We congratulate Dr. El-Hussein on this position and are excited to commence this ground breaking work.”
Rempel has developed a three-year plan that prioritizes meaningful engagement, relationship building and knowledge sharing. The plan outlines many ways in which the research chair will engage with the community including through the AgeCare Visiting Scholar Program.
Through this program, El-Hussein will bring a national or international expert to MRU and the CHIA for a term of three to six months to help with research and ongoing initiatives.
In addition, El-Hussein will launch AgeCare seed grants to initiate collaborative research projects involving MRU researchers and students. Not only will this bolster the Centre’s research, but it will also provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to students.
“Dr. El Hussein’s expertise will be an incredible asset to the Centre for Health and Innovation in Aging,” says Dr. Tim Rahilly, PhD, President and Vice-Chancellor of MRU. “Thanks to the generous support from AgeCare, we are excited to see how he will continue to advance the important work already underway at the Centre. At Mount Royal, we are committed to caring for our communities, and as our research and knowledge initiatives grow, the Centre plays a vital role in shaping meaningful, evidence-informed solutions for an aging population.”
You can read more about the work of the AgeCare Research Chair in Aging here.
