Connect!Âge
The project will examine how to foster social connections and resilience post-pandemic among four groups of older adults (65+) identified as being at high risk for social isolation: 1) invisible minorities; 2) those with symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression; 3) those with challenges completing daily tasks such as dressing, cooking, shopping, transportation, and cleaning the home; and 4) their caregivers.
This research will impact the lives of older adults in several ways. First, we will merge academic research (high-level targeted reviews of literature and data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging based on organizational needs and will translate research-based knowledge into plain language (French and English), practice-oriented formats in collaboration with intersectoral stakeholders interested in fostering greater social connectedness and resilience among older adults. Second, the research team will assess innovations in this area and support the sharing of successful approaches, including several discovery outcomes (e.g., using data to identify risk and resilience factors); and translational outcomes (organizational change and innovative interventions) resulting in greater social impact.
Project Objectives:
- Establish a research network of advocacy groups and organizations providing services to older adults and their caregivers in British Columbia (BC) and Quebec (QC) to (a) define social isolation challenges for marginalized older adults and (b) help review academic research on the target groups.
- Co-develop an evidence-based response to organizational needs that will serve as a platform for community deployment based on syntheses, and translation into lay language, of academic research.
- Implement priority strategic innovations within and between organizations with common aims and contexts to test the new co-produced approaches and techniques for reducing marginalization and social isolation in the four target groups.
Principal Investigator:
Andrew Wister, Professor, Department of Gerontology and Director, Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University
Mélanie Levasseur, Professor and Research Director, School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke and Researcher, Research Centre on Aging, CIUSS de l'Estrie-CHUS
Co-Investigators:
Laura Kadowaki, Adjunct Professor and Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University
John Pickering, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University
Lun Li, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, MacEwan University
Ruth Ndjaboue, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Université de Sherbrooke and Researcher, Research Centre on Aging, CIUSS de l'Estrie-CHUS
Valérie Poulin, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and Researcher, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Readaptation et Integration Sociale (CIRRIS) of the CIUSSS de la Capitale-National
Caroline Francoeur, Researcher, Centre de recherche sur le vieillissement - CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS
Collaborators:
Line Dubé, President, FADOQ Estrié
Leslie Gaudette, President, Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of British Columbia (COSCO BC)
Anthony Kupferschmidt, Strategic Lead, Older Persons, City of Vancouver
Kahir Lalji, Provincial Director, Government Relations and Programs, United Way British Columbia
Sandra Gebhardt, Chair, Richmond Seniors Advisory Council
Danielle Ferron, Senior Citizen Representative
Kathleen Jamieson, Senior Citizen Representative