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Social Isolation of Seniors and Social Innovation in Canada Toolkit – Supplement Specific to LGBTQ Seniors

Themes: Principal researcher

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER:

Marie Beaulieu, Ph. D., University of Sherbrooke

RESEARCH TEAM:

N.a.

CHAIR PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT:

Roxane Leboeuf, Research Agent

Marie-Ève Manseau-Young, Research Agent

Sarah Pomar Chiquette, Research Assistant

GRANTING AGENCY AND GRANT AMOUNT:

Seniors and Pensions Policy Secretariat and Employment and Social Development Canada: $25 000

PROJECT COMPLETION DATES:

March 2017 to July 2017.

Followed up in May 2018.

ROLE OF CHAIR IN THE PROJECT:

Project leader

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

In September 2016, Canada’s Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers Responsible for Seniors (FPT Ministers) approved the use and implementation of the Social Isolation of Seniors toolkit (Toolkit) to help community organizations work together to address the social isolation of older adults.

The toolkit has two volumes: the first contains general information on social isolation of older adults and social innovation, and the second presents a set of tools that community leaders can use to organize sessions to exchange of ideas for concerted actions (Consult the two volumes).

FPT Ministers identified social isolation of older adults as a priority for the 2016-17 work cycle, and called for a change to the toolkit to address the social inclusion needs of older adults who are at higher risk of social isolation:

  • Indigenous older adults;
  • LGBTQ older adults;
  • Immigrant or refugee older adults.

The FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials (the Committee), which conducts various work on behalf of FPT Ministers, has established a Working Group on Social Isolation (the Working Group), which is leading the work on this issue and regularly reports their progress to the committee.

To fulfill its mandate, the working group established a collaboration with Marie Beaulieu, Chairholder of the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults, in order to make necessary modifications to the toolkit to make it more relevant and to maximize its use with LGBTQ older adults. Two other collaborations have been established with other consultants who have obtained specific mandates for Indigenous populations and immigrant or refugee populations.

GOAL OF THE PROJECT OR RESEARCH QUESTION:

The purpose of the project is to revise the toolkit to maximize its use among LGBTQ older adults and to provide recommendations on how to ensure its effective distribution to reach the intended audience.

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Revise the current version of the Social Isolation Toolkit for Seniors to assess its usefulness and relevance for LGBT older adults.
  2. Propose modifications or addenda to the toolkit, citing relevant research to ensure that the content and format of the toolkit is appropriate for the target audience, and have these recommendations reviewed and approved by the committee;
  3. Implement the modifications or addenda approved by the committee by drafting an additional information document (Supplement to the Social Isolation of Seniors Toolkits: A Specific Look at the LGBTQ Community in Canada)
  4. Work with the other two consultants to harmonize any modifications or addenda that may be made to the toolkit, if applicable;
  5. Animate / lead a workshop with intervention workers representing the interests of the target audience to validate any changes or additions to the toolkit (note: the validation workshop will be organized and funded by the FPT Seniors Forum, in consultation with the University of Sherbrooke);
  6. Make recommendations on how best to distribute the toolkit to intervention workers of the targeted subpopulation.
  7. Validate the harmonization of the content formulation of the French and English versions of the supplement specific to LGBTQ older adults.

MEHODOLOGY:

Data Collection:

  • Conduct a review of the scientific literature published between 2012 and 2017 internationally.
  • Conduct individual telephone interviews with Canadian scientific actors and field staff working with LGBTQ older adults.

Validation of the supplement with the actors:

  • Animate a focus group with Canadian scientific actors and field staff who work with LGBTQ older adults to gather feedback on the form and content of the supplement and its potential for use.
  • Revise the supplement in the light of their comments.

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT:

The final French version of the supplement with a specific look at the LGBTQ community in Canada was submitted to the FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials at the end of July 2017.

In March, April and May 2018, work was carried out to harmonize the wording of the content between the French and English versions of the supplement.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Beaulieu, M. (28 mai 2018). Promouvoir l’inclusion sociale pour contrer l’isolement et la maltraitance des aînés LGBTQ : bref état de la situation et pistes d’action. Webinaire organisé par la Fédération internationale du vieillissement.

PUBLICATIONS:

Beaulieu, M., Leboeuf, R., Manseau-Young, M.-E., Pomar-Chiquette, S. (2017). Isolement social des aînés. Supplément Regard spécifique sur la communauté LGBTQ. Rapport produit pour le Comité Fédéral-provincial et Territorial des ministres responsables des aînés au Canada. 33 p.

Consult both volumes of the Social Isolation of Seniors and Social Innovation Toolkit