Age-Friendly Acute Care

The Research Question:

"What programs and/or services are associated with improved outcomes for seniors admitted as inpatients to acute care hospitals?"

Background:

In March 2011, officials from Central Health in Newfoundland and Labrador asked CHRSP to identify and evaluate the best available research-based evidence on age-friendly approaches to acute care. Central Health recognized the necessity to uncover the barriers faced by the aging population in acute-care settings and to determine best practices for ensuring age-friendly acute care in the province. Given Newfoundland and Labrador's aging population, Central Health asked CHRSP to help them identify applicable tools and guiding principles that promote age-friendliness in acute-care facilities with a view to developing strategies that will reduce barriers faced by our aging population.

Central Health suggested that the research evidence CHRSP could gather on this topic would help support decision making on enhancements/changes required in acute care environments as well as helping the health authority establish priorities in this area.

Though this research topic was initially suggested by Central Health, consultations with the province's other Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) and with the Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) revealed that the issue of caring for older adults in hospital was a high-priority across the province. CHRSP therefore assembled a project team that included senior officials from each of the four RHAs (Eastern Health, Central Health, Western Health and Labrador Grenfell Health), a consultant from DHCS, faculty members from Memorial's School of Nursing and Faculty of Medicine with a background in acute care, and a project coordinator internal to the CHRSP program. Dr. Belinda Parke of the University of Alberta agreed to serve as Academic Team Leader. 

The CHRSP Project Team:

Report Authors:

  • Dr. Belinda Parke, Assistant Professor of Nursing, University of Alberta (Team Leader)
  • Dr. Stephen Bornstein, Director, NLCAHR, (CHRSP Program Director)
  • Robert Kean, Research Officer, NLCAHR, (CHRSP Project Coordinator)
  • Meagan Mackenzie, Research Assistant, NLCAHR
  • Karen McGrath, CEO, Central Health (Health System Leader)

Other Project Team Members:

  • Mary Bursey, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Memorial University
  • Collette Smith, Director, Medicine Program, Eastern Health
  • Dr. Roger Butler, Associate Professor, Ross Family Medicine Centre, Memorial University
  • Janice Dalton, Long Term Care Program Coordinator, Eastern Health
  • Cynthia Davis, Vice President of Patient Services, Western Health
  • Rosemarie Goodyear, Senior Vice President of Quality, Planning, and Priorities, Central Health
  • Elizabeth Kennedy, Director of Clinical Efficiency, Eastern Health
  • Henry Kielley, Consultant, Office for Aging and Seniors, Department of Health and Community Services
  • Rufina Letto, Regional Director of Acute Care Services, Labrador-Grenfell Health