Event Date: May 15, 2024

Currently most long-term care (LTC) facilities in Canada are unable to support separated spouses, especially if they have differing levels of care (e.g., individuals capable of independent living vs. individuals with dementia). Spouses involuntarily separated in LTC are a unique population that faces an increased risk of loneliness and depression, influencing their physical, mental, and spiritual health. However, the current LTC system often fails to support the needs of separated spouses in LTC, leading to adverse effects on the mental health of both residents and their spouses.
 
The objectives of this webinar are to:
  1. Explore the unique experiences and perspectives of spouses involuntarily separated during LTC admission, across different contexts (i.e., setting, type of separation, cognitive ability) and mental health outcomes.
  2. Outline practical recommendations to improve spouses’ mental health outcomes, and overall experiences, related to involuntary separation at the individual, organizational, and system level.
  3. Highlight the importance of, and approaches to, engaging with older adult residents and their spouses within the organizational and governance decision-making process.

South East Knowledge Exchange Network Webinar Series



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Presenter(s):

Madison Robertson

Madison is a Research Coordinator at the Centre for Aging and Health, Providence Care, and is currently completing her PhD in Health Quality (set to defend this spring). Madison’s research interests include long-term care, healthy aging, mental health for older adult, age-friendly communities, and participatory research methods. She has experience working on and leading national and international multi-disciplinary research projects, and currently instructs courses at Queen’s University on Healthy Aging and Health Quality researcher.