Frank Knoefel
MD, CCFP (COE), FCFP, BSc, MPA
Senior Investigator
Bruyère Health Chair in Research in Technology for Aging in Place
Bruyère Health Research Institute
Adjunct Research Professor
Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University
About:
Dr. Frank Knoefel is the Bruyère Health Chair in Research in Technology for Aging in Place and a physician at the Bruyère Memory Program. He has been providing bilingual care to aging Canadians for some 30 years, focusing initially on geriatric rehabilitation, and for the last 15 years caring for older Canadians with cognitive challenges. He holds appointments in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa and Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University. Dr. Knoefel has extensive hospital administration experience, including being Medical Director of Geriatric Rehabilitation, Chief of Medical Staff and Vice-President Medical Affairs at Bruyère Health. Dr. Knoefel previously held the University of Ottawa Brain and Mind - Bruyère Health Research Institute Chair in Primary Health Care Dementia Research from 2021 to 2024.
Dr. Knoefel’s research interests are focused on the use of sensors to facilitate aging in place. Following his clinical practice, early work was focused on bed-based sensors to monitor physical well-being, such as transfers out of bed and breathing. His current research is focused more on technology to monitor and support cognition, including how sensors in the home can monitor activities of daily living and how artificial intelligence will be able to help cue a person’s activities to maintain independence. Dr. Knoefel also studies how technology can help assess and improve driving safety in older drivers.
He is co-founder of the TAFETA and AGE-WELL NCE Inc. SAM3 National Innovation Hub programs of research and is currently the AGE-WELL Challenge Area lead for Cognitive Health and Dementia. Dr. Knoefel and collaborators have raised funds to create a “smart apartment” and install a state-of-the-art driving simulator at the Bruyère Health Élisabeth-Bruyère Hospital. He has over 150 peer-reviewed publications and conference publications, and his work has been cited over 3,300 times. He is an actively engaged speaker at conferences and in the community, including the Dementia Society of Ottawa.
Research Interests:
Dementia, cognitive aging, technology, supportive smart homes.
Select Publications:
Wells JL, Seabrook JA, Stolee P, Borrie MJ, Knoefel F. (2003). State of the art in geriatric rehabilitation. Part I: review of frailty and comprehensive geriatric assessment. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Patrick L, Knoefel F, Gaskowski P, Rexroth D. (2001). Medical comorbidity and rehabilitation efficiency in geriatric inpatients. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Ault L, Goubran R, Wallace B, Lowden H, Knoefel F. (2020). Smart home technology solution for night-time wandering in persons with dementia. Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering.
Knoefel F, Mayamuud S, Tfaily R. (2022). Driving cessation: What are family members’ experiences and what do they think about driving simulators? Geriatrics.
Knoefel F, Hossain S, Hsu AT. (2023). Decline in other instrumental activities of daily living as indicators of driving risk in older adults at an academic memory clinic. Geriatrics.
Contact:
fknoefel@bruyere.org