Methodology

This page explains how Aging Care Well selects sources, describes evidence, and handles mistakes. It exists because we don’t put names on our articles — the process has to earn your trust instead. We’d rather you check our work than take our word for it.

How we choose sources

We draw on peer-reviewed research, Canadian and international government and regulatory bodies, and established research institutions and sector organizations — never a vendor’s own marketing material as evidence for its own claims, and never a source we haven’t read in full ourselves.

We open and read every source before citing it. No citing from an abstract, a press release, or another outlet’s summary of a study. If we can’t access the full text, we don’t cite it.

We cite the original, not the coverage. If a news article reports on a study, we find and link the study itself, not the article about it.

How we describe evidence

Not all evidence carries the same weight, and we try to say so plainly rather than flattening everything into “studies show.” Roughly, from strongest to weakest: systematic reviews and meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, single case reports, and expert opinion. We name which kind of evidence we’re citing where it matters, and we say when a finding comes from a single study rather than a body of research.

We name the limitations the authors name. Small sample sizes, populations that may not generalize to Canada, funding sources, and anything else that affects how much weight a finding should carry.

We never state more certainty than the source does. An association is not a cause. A single study is not a consensus. If the research is mixed, we say it’s mixed.

A single-study summary is the weakest thing we can publish. Wherever we can, we synthesize multiple sources, translate findings to Canadian policy and practice, or structure a comparison — rather than simply restating one paper in our own words. If a piece could be replaced by its own source, we haven’t done our job.

What we don’t do

We don’t produce original research. We don’t diagnose, treat, or give medical advice — see our Medical Disclaimer. We don’t accept payment for coverage, placement, or a favorable read of anyone’s product — see About Us.

Corrections

If we get something wrong, we want to know. Tell us through Contact Us, including a link to what you’re flagging if you can. When we correct a published piece, we update the article, note what changed, and update its “last updated” date — visible on every article, alongside its original publish date.