Team

The Falls Prevention Clinic includes a dedicated team of geriatricians, research staff, and researchers that are dedicated to improving mobility, functional independence, and quality of life. We are currently running the Falls Prevention Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital.


DIRECTORS

Teresa Liu-Ambrose

Teresa Liu-Ambrose, PT, PhD

Director of Research and Operations

Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, PhD, PT, Associate Professor, is physical therapist and a Canada Research Chair at the University of British Columbia, Department of Physical Therapy. She directs the Aging, Mobility and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory as well as the Vancouver General Hospital’s Falls Prevention Clinic. Moreover, she leads the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data collection site located at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s research program focuses on defining the role of exercise to promote healthy aging, with a particular focus on improving cognitive and mobility outcomes. Her research has been adopted by health authorities and translated into a BC-wide program.

In addition to providing comprehensive care for older adults with impaired mobility, the Falls Research Clinic is research intensive with the mandate to conduct research initiatives directed at improving outcomes for older adults.  As Director of Research and Operations, Dr. Liu-Ambrose coordinates and facilitates these research initiatives while ensuring the provision of evidence-based care at the Falls Prevention Clinic.


Email    teresa.ambrose@ubc.ca

Telephone    604.875.4111 ext. 69059

Jennifer Davis

Jennifer Davis, PhD

Co-Director of Research and Operations

Jennifer Davis, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow working with supervisor Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose.  Jennifer has a B.Sc in Honours Physiology, a Masters of Science in Experimental Medicine and a PhD in Health Care and Epidemiology at UBC.  Jennifer is working jointly with the BC Ministry of Health on an initiative to prevent falls and improve mobility among older adults.  She is working with the Vancouver Falls Prevention Team on scaling up falls prevention efforts across BC.

Jennifer received both a MSFHR Junior Trainee Award, MSFHR Senior Graduate Studentship, MSFHR postdoctoral fellowship, CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship, and CIHR postdoctoral fellowship for her graduate studies.


Email    jennifer.davis@ubc.ca

Telephone    604.875.4111 ext. 69059

Larry Dian

Dr. Larry Dian, MB, BCH, FRCP(C)

Medical Director | Geriatrician

Dr. Larry Dian is the head of Geriatrics at the Falls Prevention Clinic as well as the Clinical Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Vancouver General Hospital. He also serves as the Co-Director of the Osteoporosis Centre of British Columbia and Co-Investigator at the Prohealth Clinical Research Centre. His interest is in promoting high quality of care for geriatric patients by working regularly with undergraduate and postgraduate trainees in Medicine, and participating in ongoing research in osteoporosis and falls in the frail elderly. He completed Geriatric Fellowship Training Programs at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, USA) and the University of British Columbia. He has also served as the Head of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at UBC and Department Head of Geriatric Medicine at Vancouver General Hospital. Dr. Dian is a recipient of the Royal Canadian Legion Fellowship Award for postgraduate studies in the field of Geriatric Medicine, and the Bobby Miller Award for excellence in teaching.

Telephone    604.875.4111 ext. 69611

GERIATRICIANS

Naaz Parmar

Dr. Naaz Parmar, MD, FRCP(C)

Geriatrician

Dr. Parmar is a Geriatrician practicing at Vancouver General Hospital.  She completed medical school, Internal Medicine Residency and a Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at UBC. At VGH she is an attending for the Geriatric Medicine Consult Service.  Her outpatient clinics include Falls Prevention Clinic, Pre-operative Geriatrics Clinic, and the VGH Rapid Access Clinic  She enjoys a wide range of interests including: Dementia, Mobility and Polypharmacy. Active in teaching as a Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC she is the Co-Chair for “Dementia Week” for UBC Undergraduate Medicine, Geriatrics Theme Lead for the UBC Curriculum and is also an attending for the UBC Geriatric Medicine Longitudinal Fellows Clinic.

Telephone    604.875.4111 ext. 69611

Ken Madden

Dr. Ken Madden, MD, FRCP(C)

Geriatrician

Dr. Ken Madden is a Professor of Medicine and holds the Allan M. McGavin Chair in Geriatric Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He is the President of the Canadian Geriatrics Society and the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Geriatrics Journal. His lab has examined the effect of exercise interventions in older adults with Type 2 diabetes, the ability of different forms of exercise to impact arterial stiffness in subjects at high cardiometabolic risk, and the impact of sedentary behaviours on cardiometabolic risk factors.   He has also examined the impact of age and diabetes on postprandial cardiovascular responses and orthostatic intolerance.  He is division head of Geriatric Medicine at Vancouver General Hospital, and holds peer-reviewed grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the Canadian Diabetes Association.  He is chair of the North American Regional Committee for the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics.

Telephone    604.875.4111 ext. 69611

CLINIC AND RESEARCH STAFF

Tina Law, BSc

Tina Law, BSc

Clinic and Research Coordinator

Tina coordinates the administrative side of the clinic and runs assessments with patients. She is also the research coordinator for the ongoing Hip Fracture Study, a research project investigating if a home delivered exercise program can improve hip fracture recovery and falls prevention. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom, and is interested in research on aging, cognitive decline, sleep and mental health

Email    fallsclinicadmin@hiphealth.ca

Telephone    604-875-4111 ext 69611

Daria Tai

Daria Tai, BSc

Clinic and Research Coordinator

Daria coordinates the administrative side of the clinic and runs assessments with patients. She is also the study coordinator for the ongoing Hip Fracture Study, a research project investigating if a home delivered exercise program can improve hip fracture recovery and falls prevention. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia and is interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare field.

Email    fallsclinicadmin@hiphealth.ca

Telephone    604-875-4111 ext 69611