Aaron Jones named Schlegel Chair in Clinical Epidemiology and Aging

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact assistant professor Aaron Jones has been appointed as the Schlegel Chair in Clinical Epidemiology and Aging. McMaster University’s Board of Governors approved the appointment on October 24, 2024. 

Jones, who is also the director of ICES McMaster and research director at the Waterloo Regional Campus of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, was appointed to the chair for a five-year term. 

“I’m thrilled and honored by this recognition, which acknowledges my work to improve the care of older adults,” says Jones. “This appointment will enable me to expand my research on how we can make the health system work better for seniors.” 

Jones is a health services researcher and biostatistician with expertise in the use of health administrative data and data science methodologies. His research program investigates the health service use of older adults with ongoing care needs, with the goal of discovering how to better organize, manage, and deliver the care that older adults need to age well in their preferred location. In addition, he is a member of the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA) and the Centre for Integrated Care (CIC) at St. Joseph’s Health System. 

This new chair is possible thanks to a generous gift from the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, a charitable, non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life and care for older adults through research, education, and practice.  

As Canada’s population continues to age, healthcare systems need to adapt by providing care that is tailored to the needs of seniors. Jones is hoping to expand his research to focus on better care for older adults in emergency departments and primary care settings.  This work will address areas such as geriatric emergency care for people living with dementia, and primary care for individuals with difficulty reaching a doctor’s office, with the goal of avoiding unnecessary ER visits and enabling older adults to remain in their homes as they age. 

“I want to congratulate Dr. Jones on being named Schlegel Chair in Clinical Epidemiology and Aging,” says Alfonso Iorio, professor and chair of the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI). “This chair is a powerful resource for us and has allowed HEI and McMaster to grow a prominent role in the area of long term care research. So much so that the previous holder, Dr. Andrew Costa, was recently awarded a prestigious Canada Research Chair to continue his research. Dr. Jones’ appointment doubles our capacity in the field, particularly in view of his leadership role with ICES McMaster. I am very confident that Dr. Jones’ leadership and expertise in harnessing large databases in healthcare for older adults will continue to drive important advancements in this area.” 

The chair will also enable Jones to strengthen key relationships, including partnering with Canada’s only geriatric emergency department at Toronto Western Hospital, as well as to continue his role as director of ICES McMaster. By utilizing the population-based data at ICES, Jones aims to generate policy-relevant evidence that can improve outcomes for older adults and ensure healthcare systems adapt to their specific needs. 

“This appointment will directly support research that will improve the lives of older adults, who have different and often more complex care needs. I’m excited to continue advancing our research on how we can achieve better care and improved outcomes for seniors,” says Jones.