Resources - Evidence

The Fountain of Health™ and Thrive Learning Centre offer evidence-based approaches to promote brain health and resilience. Below are our peer-reviewed publications on The Fountain of Health™ approach. The evidence behind the six areas of the Fountain of Health™ are also included: Thoughts, Health Habits, Relationships, Interests, Valued Goal and Emotions.

Our Fountain of Health™ researchers’ mission is to develop evidence-based approaches for effective health behaviour change to promote brain health and wellness. For a list of our publications on the Fountain of Health approach, and other evidence behind the initiative, please see below. Meet our researchers. 

Fountain of Health Publications

The Fountain of Health: Bringing Seniors' Mental Health Promotion into Clinical Practice, Vanessa Thoo, Janya Freer, Keri-Leigh Cassidy, in Canadian Geriatrics Journal, Vol 19, Issue 4, December 2015 p 217-224.    
Online: https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.18.197

Book Review: Geriatric Depression: A Clinical Guide, Keri-Leigh Cassidy, in Canadian Journal of Aging, Vol 35, Issue 3 May 2016.    
Online: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980816000349

Bolier L, et al. Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC public health Dec 2013;13(1):1-20.                     
Online: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-119

Levy B, et al. Longitudinal benefit of positive self-perceptions of aging on functional health. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2002;57(5):409-417.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/57.5.P409

Levy B, et al. Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging. J Pers Soc Psychol 2002;83(2): 261-270.                     
Online: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/ releases/psp-832261.pdf

Levy B, et al. Positive age beliefs protect against dementia even among elders with high-risk gene. PLOS One 2018;13(2): e0191004.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191004

Levy B, et al. Ageism amplifies cost and prevalence of health conditions. Gerontologist 2020;60(1):174-181.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny131

Robertson DA, et al. Negative perceptions of aging modify the association between frailty and cognitive function in older adults. J Individ Differ    2016;100:120–125.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.12.010

Sun J, et al. Positive self-perceptions of aging and lower rate of overnight hospitalization in the US population over age 50. Psychosom Med 2016;79(1):81-90.                     
Online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5182096/

Wurm S, et al. How do negative self-perceptions of aging become a self-fulfilling prophecy? Psychol Aging 2013;28(4):1088-1097.                     
Online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24128074/

Angevaren M, et al. Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;3:CD005381.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005381.pub3

Livingston G, et al., Dementia prevention, intervention, and care. Lancet 2017;390(10113):2673-2734.                     
Online: https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/journal/1-s2.0-S0140673617313636

McNamara D. Physical Fitness Tied to a Nearly 90% Reduction in Dementia Risk. Medscape March 16, 2018.                     
Online: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/894032

Nagamatsu LS, et al. Resistance training promotes cognitive and functional brain plasticity in seniors with probable mild cognitive impairment. Arch Intern Med 2012;172(8):666-668.                     
Online: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1135414

Wen CP, et al. Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study. Lancet 2011;378(9798):1244-1253.                     
Online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21846575/

Wolff JK, et al. What do targeting positive views on aging add to a physical activity intervention in older adults? Results from a randomized control trial.  Psychol Health 2014; 29(8): 915-923.                     
Online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24559210/

Bennett DA, et al. The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer’s disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study. Lancet Neurol 2006;5(5):406–412.                     
Online: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(06)70417-3/fulltext

Chang PJ, et al. Social relationships, leisure activity, and health in older adults. Health Psychol 2014;33(6):516-523.                     
Online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4467537/

Gilmour H. Social participation and the health and well-being of Canadian seniors. Health Reports Stats Can Catalogue 82-003-X Dec 2012 23(4).                     
Online: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/82-003-x/2012004/article/11720-eng.pdf?st=R-iASyXG

Flatt J, et al. Participation in social activities in later life: does enjoyment have important implications for cognitive health? Aging Health 2013;9(2)149-158.                     
Online: https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/ahe.13.11

Waldinger R, et al. Security of attachment to spouses in late life: Concurrent and prospective links with cognitive and emotional well-being. Clin Psychol Sci 2015;3(4):516-529.                     
Online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4579537/

Butler M, et al. Does cognitive training prevent cognitive decline?: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2018;168(1):63-68.                     
Online: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M17-1531

Miller KJ, et al. Effect of a computerized brain exercise program on cognitive performance in older adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2013;21(7):655-63.                     
Online: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23602310/

Steffener J, et al. Differences between chronological & brain age are related to education and self-reported physical activity. Neurobiol Aging 2016; 1(40):138-44.                     
Online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0197458016000233?via%3Dihub

Valenzuela M, et al. Can cognitive exercise prevent the onset of dementia? Systematic review of randomized clinical trials with longitudinal follow-up. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2009;17(3):179-87.                     
Online: https://www.ajgponline.org/article/S1064-7481(12)61598-X/abstract

Bailey RR. Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change. Am J Lifestyle Med 2019; 13(6):615-618.                     
Online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6796229/

Cassidy KL, et al. Comparing a clinician-assisted and app-supported behavioral activation intervention to promote brain health and well-being in frontline care. IPA June 2021 33(5):615-25.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610220001325

Doran GT. There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives. Management Review 1981 70(11):35–36.                     
Online: https://community.mis.temple.edu/mis0855002fall2015/files/2015/10/S.M.A.R.T-Way-Management-Review.pdf

Fordham B, et al. The evidence for cognitive behavioural therapy in any condition, population or context: a metareview of systematic reviews and panoramic meta-analysis. Psychol Med 2021 51(1):21–29.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005292

Gough A, et al. The Fountain of Health: effective health promotion knowledge transfer in individual primary care and group community-based formats. IPA Feb 2019 31(2):173-80.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610218000480

Janssen  NP, et al. How does behavioural activation Work? A systematic review of the evidence on potential mediators. Psychother Psychosom 2021 90:85-93.                     
Online: https://www.karger.com/Article/Fulltext/509820

Knapp  P, et al. Cognitive therapy: foundations, conceptual models, applications and research. Rev Bras Psiquiatr 2008 30 (Suppl II):S54-64                     
Online: https://www.scielo.br/j/rbp/a/HLpWbYk4bJHY39sfJfRJwtn/?format=pdf&lang=en

Ogbeiwi O. General concepts of goals and goal-setting in healthcare: A narrative review. J Manag Organ Mar 2021 27(2):324-341.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2018.11 

Rabheru K, et al. Promoting Health Behavior Change in Canada: A Quality Improvement Project Integrating Prevention and Wellness in Frontline Care. Open J Psych May 2021 11(3):p 125-37.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpsych.2021.113011 

Weintraub J, et al. Nudging flow through ‘SMART’ goal setting to decrease stress, increase engagement, and increase performance at work.  J Occup Organ Psychol Jun 2021 94(2):230-258.                     
Online: https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12347

Grossman P, et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta analysis. J Psychosom Res 2004 57(1):35-43.                     
Online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399903005737?via%3Dihub

Jeste DV, et al. A call for a new positive psychiatry of aging. Br J Psychiatry 2013 20(2); 81-83.                     
Online: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/call-for-a-new-positive-psychiatry-of-ageing/794105D47D5EF3D295E54C16F37CD25A?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=bookmark

Jeste DV, et al. Older age is associated with more successful aging: role of resilience and depression. Am J Psychiatry 2013; 170(2): 188-196.                     
Online: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.12030386

Prince M, et al. World Alzheimer Report 2014 Dementia & risk reduction: An analysis of protective & modifiable factors. London: Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI); 2014 p.1-104.                     
Online: http://alzint.org