Research project aims to increase access to community support services for older adults and caregivers
SARNIA, November 22, 2022 – Lambton College and Lambton Public Health are pleased to announce the completion of Phase Two of their Older Adult Care Pathway research project. The local project aims to increase the number of older adults that receive high-quality, efficient, timely, and inclusive support from social and community services.
Phase One of the project was completed in March 2022 through funding from the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility’s Community grants program. The initial stage revealed that the greatest barrier to access and usage of community services for Lambton County residents was a lack of information. The research also indicated that care coordination in Lambton was considered positive, though there was room for improvement.
The second phase of the project began in April 2022 and was funded through Lambton College’s Research & Innovation General Research Fund under the Civic Lab Platform. This phase was enacted following the identification of the need for further consultation with service providers, caregivers, and older adults to gain a more in-depth understanding of their experiences accessing care and services in the community.
“A person’s health is determined by so much more than just visiting their doctor or picking up a prescription from their pharmacy,” said Anita Trusler, Health Promotion Supervisor with Lambton Public Health. “This research project has shown that our community knows this, and now the work begins to provide the community with the supports that they need.”
Previous work led by Lambton Public Health to action recommendations from the report has included the creation of an “Age-Friendly Best Practices for Business and Service Providers” E-Learning course. Additionally, the submission of grants aimed at increasing aging-in-place supports locally was also implemented, along with addressing the need for an integrated healthcare and social services referral system through the Age-Friendly Sarnia-Lambton website.
As a result of the research findings, the Age-Friendly Sarnia-Lambton website has also expanded with more resources. Aligning with the Sarnia-Lambton Ontario Health Team’s goal of improving the healthcare journey for members of our community, this amalgamates community supports and health services in a centralized location.