Three members of the Chair are finishing their post-graduate and doctoral studies

Three students finished this summer and at the beginning of autumn 2022 their academic work within the Chair.

First, Camille Martin has finished her master’s thesis in social work on the subject of a wellness care approach for caregivers that experienced mistreatment. Based on an post-graduate internship in social work which involved caregivers and based on the results of the study conducted under the direction of Sophie Éthier (professor in social work at the University of Laval) in which the Chair participated, Camille Martin has realised an essay on the deployment of a wellness care approach for older adults that did not mistreat but that are mistreated as part of their duties. Strongly rooted in the practice, this essay contributes to apply even more wellness care in Quebec.

Then, Jacob Hamelin Lucas has finished is master’s thesis in social work on the subject of spiritual mistreatment of older adults. In it, he explores the spiritual dimension of mistreatment of older adults and examines the notion’s evolution in Quebec. He highlights the importance of the spiritual dimension in the well-being and the social functioning of older adults and proposes to enrich the Quebec’s typology of spiritual mistreatment. He also explores the roles that social workers could have to fill against spiritual mistreatment and proposes intervention strategies.

Finally, Florence Bourgès as submitted her doctoral thesis realised cotutelle between Université du Havre (Sociology) and the University of Sherbrooke (Gerontology). Her work entitled “The actors, notably the volunteers, in the emergence, the development and the implementation of public policies to counter mistreatment of older adults in France. A critical analysis of policies et practices from a comparative analysis with Quebec.” (free translation of Les acteurs, notamment bénévoles, dans l’émergence, le développement et la mise en œuvre des politiques publiques de lutte contre la maltraitance envers les personnes âgées en France. Une analyse critique des politiques et pratiques à partir d’un regard croisé avec le Québec) will be defended during a public defense on November 28. Our hopes are with Florence Bourgès for this last step of her university studies.

Congratulations to these three students for the completion of their studies. Each thesis or essay allows for advancements in countering mistreatment and promoting wellness care. Furthermore, stay tuned because other students aim to complete their studies by the 2022 Holidays. Such as, Kevin St-Martin’s master’s thesis on virtual reality as a tool to counter victimization of older adults as well as Camille Allard Lachapelle’s essay about the intergenerational issues within the LGBTQ communities.