Researchers at Brandon University (BU), Carleton University, Dalhousie University, University of Manitoba, and St. Francis Xavier University have begun collecting data for the Safe Places for Aging and Care project.
The researchers are examining how features of care environments in both home care and personal care homes influence violence. Their aim is to improve violence prevention strategies across long-term care, promoting safety for everyone.
“We need to understand how policies, practices, and people can make care better for older adults and carers,” said project lead Dr. Rachel Herron of BU’s Department of Geography and Environment.
“COVID-19 has placed a spotlight on problems across long-term care. It is important that we identify what is working well and implement strategies for everyone’s wellbeing.”
The research team has completed the first stage of the project, which involved analyzing policies related to violence prevention in long-term care in both Manitoba and Nova Scotia. They found that the current policy response to violence in long-term care in both provinces is fragmented, and that provincial policies addressing violence toward health care workers are not long-term care specific. They also found a relative lack in provincial policy and legislation addressing violence in home care.
The team is now inviting older adults, family carers, and care workers to complete a short, online survey on their experiences either providing or receiving long term care for older adults. The survey is at this link: tinyurl.com/safeplacesstudy.
By integrating these data on first-hand experiences into the project, the team hopes to strengthen knowledge of existing violence prevention strategies, which sometimes fall short of protecting the safety and long-term well-being of older adults and carers.
This research project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Anyone interested in the project can contact Dr. Rachel Herron, Principal Investigator, Canada Research Chair in Rural and Remote Mental Health, Associate Professor, Brandon University at 204-727-9771 or safeplaces@brandonu.ca. They can also visit the project webpage at people.brandonu.ca/herronr/sample/safe-places-for-aging-and-care to learn more, or to participate in the survey.
Contact
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- communications@brandonu.ca
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