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Social participation of older adults: from knowing to action

Themes: Co researcher

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER:

Andrée Sévigny, Ph. D., University of Laval

RESEARCH TEAM:

Hélène Carbonneau (co-researcher), University of Québec at Trois-Rivières

Serge Dumont (co-researcher Université Laval

Pierre-Jacob Durand (co-researcher), Université Laval

Sophie Éthier (co-researcher), Université Laval

Julie Fortier (co-researcher), Université Laval

Éric Gagnon (co-researcher), Université Laval et CSSS de la Vieille-Capitale

Charles Gaucher (co-researcher)

Benjamin Gottlieb (co-researcher)

Catherine Gucher (co-researcher)

Mélanie Levasseur (co-researcher), Université de Sherbrooke

Ignace Olazabal (co-researcher)

Steve Paquet (co-researcher)

Christian Pradier (co-researcher)

André Tourigny (co-researcher), Université Laval

 

Marie Beaulieu (collaborator), University of Sherbrooke

Normand Boucher (collaborator)

Judith Gagnon (collaborator)

Suzanne Garon (collaborator), University of Sherbrooke

Manal Guirduis-Younger (collaborator)

Nadine Larivière (collaborator)

Mario Paquet (collaborator), Agence de la Santé et des services sociaux de Lanaudière

Émilie Raymond (collaborator), Université Laval

Huguette Robert (collaborator)

 

CHAIR PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT:

N.a.

GRANTING AGENCY AND GRANT AMOUNT:

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC): $199 973

PROJECT COMPLETION DATES:

From April 2013 to March 2016

ROLE OF CHAIR IN THE PROJECT:

The Chair acts as a collaborator in this project, as various projects in the Chair highlight the social participation of seniors.

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

In the context of the aging of the population, the issue of social participation of seniors involves all practitioners. The increasing number of older adults combined with important demographic, cultural and economic changes incite us to rethink the social representation associated with old age, which describes it as a period of rest or as being marked by social withdrawal. Indeed, without minimizing the difficult realities that some seniors must deal with, it seems possible for many of them, even those with disabilities, to develop forms of commitment and contribution to society. Considering this, the social participation of seniors is an innovative research field that is already quite sought-after (Raymond Gagné, Sévigny and Tourigny 2008).

GOAL OF THE PROJECT OR RESEARCH QUESTION:

This project aims to create a consortium of researchers and practitioners to enable the transfer of knowledge concerning the social participation of seniors. Professors from four Quebec universities are involved in this project.

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Establish and strengthen governance of the partnership.
  2. Develop and consolidate a research program.
  3. Reinforce the relationships between team members (researchers, partners, employees, students).
  4. Develop a plan for knowledge mobilization.

MEHODOLOGY:

  1. Establishment of a steering committee.
  2. Establishment of a coordinating committee.
  3. Establishment of a working committee on the theoretical framework.
  4. Establishment of a working committee on the methodological framework.
  5. Preparation of the draft of the programming of the project.
  6. Request for the participation of collaborators to various projects according to their area of expertise. Transfer of information to collaborators. Promotion of exchanges between researchers and partners in the project. Preparation and improvement of a model of operational partnership.
  7. Establishment of a working committee on the dissemination and knowledge mobilization.
  8. Establishment of mechanisms to ensure financial support for dissemination and knowledge mobilization.
  9. Integration of young researchers and graduate students.
  10. Establishment of a student committee.

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT:

A first team meeting was held in the fall of 2013 to identify the ongoing work of the various partners, as well as the work they wish to develop, and to draw up an agenda for future production. A second major meeting took place in the fall of 2014. During this meeting, members were invited to exchange on the principles and values of the partnership by holding a brainstorming session. The members of various working committees also reported on the progress of their work. Finally, the team reported on the progress of their current work and the planning of future work as well. Specifically, the Chair’s project on volunteering to counter mistreatment of older adults -including the grant from the SSHRC that was obtained in the spring of 2015- is in line with this consortium.

COMMUNICATIONS:

N.a.

PUBLICATIONS:

Carbonneau, H., Sévigny, A., Levasseur, M., Raymond, E., Beaulieu, M, Éthier, S., & Beauchamp, J. (2013). La participation sociale, pour ajouter de la vie aux années : contributions de l’axe Interaction et soutien social du RQRV /Social participation, adding life to years : RQRV Interaction and social support group’s contributions. Médecine, Science, Amérique, 2(3), 37-51.