Tools


AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES ONLINE HUB: An online networking and knowledge exchange platform is available to bring together stakeholders and to showcase the exciting Canadian work in this area. This initiative is being led by the Canadian Association on Gerontology and NSCA is a partner. Click to access the Hub site https://cagacg.ca/age-friendly-communities/

SERVICE GUIDE & POLICY LENS ON CAREGIVING: Supporting Caregivers of Older Adults: Tools for Service Providers, Program Planners, Educators and Policy Makers offers two resources which facilitate programs and policy that support caregivers of older adults. These resources include a Caregiver Tool Kit for paid care providers and a Caregiver Policy Lens for assessing policy and programs from the perspective of caregivers. Both resources are user friendly and deigned to raise awareness and provide information about issues faced by family and friend caregivers of older adults. These resources were developed by the BC Psychogeriatic Association with input from a number of organizations across the country. The NSCA contributed to this project and is pleased to be helping disseminate these resources. Click here to view the Caregiver Policy Lens Click here to view the Service Provider Guide or visit the project website at http://www.caregivertoolkit.ca/

AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES (AFC) COMMUNITY IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE AND TOOLBOX: The Guide and Toolbox are intended to assist communities across Canada, start up, implement and evaluate their own age-friendly initiative, in which policies, services and structures related to the physical and social environment are designed to support and enable older persons to “age actively”. These resources were developed by the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Click here to view the Guide in English and French. Click here to view the Toolbox in English and French. Accessible alternative formats are made available (upon request only) at the PHAC website at:https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/age-friendly-communities-canada-community-implementation-guide.html

ELDER ABUSE RESOURCE: “It’s in Your Hands: Legal Information for Seniors and their Families” is a user-friendly resource intended for seniors and their families to help understand and plan your legal and financial affairs. Topics include Guardianship of Adults, Powers of Attorney, Wills, Identity Theft, Dating and New Relationships, etc. The NSCA worked in collaboration with the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia to develop this resource. For information on how to access this document visit www.legalinfo.org/seniors.

AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES EVALUATION GUIDE: The Guide is intended to provide communities with practical information on how to use indicators to measure progress and evaluate their age-friendly initiatives. The Guide focuses on one important aspect of developing and maintaining an age-friendly community: the use of indicators in planning, implementing and evaluating age-friendly community initiatives. The Guide not only provides information on how and why the use of indicators can strengthen community age-friendly initiatives, it also offers a menu of specific, measurable indicators that are applicable to the eight domains of community life that are being addressed in age-friendly programming. The Guide also includes four other indicators that reflect longer-term health and social outcomes for seniors as the final fruits of age-friendly programming. The Guide has been prepared by the Public Health Agency of Canada with input from various AFC experts including Nova Scotia Centre on Aging. Click here to view the Guide in English and French.

RESOURCES FOR NURSING HOMES AVAILABLE: Several resources are now available based on the results from the Care and Construction project which examined how differences in models of care impact nursing home resident quality of life. Results brochures intended for senior leaders in nursing homes are available on the three key findings of the study and include ideas for action. Also available are brochures that provide an overview of the findings from the surveys with residents, family and staff and another brochure with the findings from the case study component of the study. The study’s final report is available as well.To access these resources and more visit the Care and Construction webpage http://www.careandconstruction.ca/.

Videos

WEBINAR ON FAMILY VISITATION IN LONG-TERM CARE DURING COVID -19: In this webinar, Family Visitation in Long-Term Care During COVID-19 | Reframing Research into Practical Strategies to Improve Practice, Janice Keefe, and Roberta Bishop, Operations Manager at the Rainbow Resource Centre in Winnipeg, and Family Advisor, shared their research findings and practice briefs with suggested actions and strategies to help care homes with implementing family visitation policies. Click here to view the webinar.

VIDEO ON STAYING SOCIALLY CONNECTED IN RETIREMENT: “Social Participation in Retirement: Perspectives and Insights” is a video approximately 5 minutes in length featuring retiree Bill Poole. He shares his views on the importance of staying connected to others in retirement and how he has done so for 20 or so years of his retirement. The video was developed in collaboration with Community Links as part of a project entitled Social Planning for Later Life, funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Program, Employment and Social Development Canada (2016-2017). Click here to view.

PANEL DISCUSSES ROLE OF ART & ART EXHIBITIONS: “How Can Art and Art Exhibitions Challenge Assumptions about Aging?” was a multi-perspective panel presentation hosted by the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging on October 30, 2017 at Mount Saint Vincent University’s Art Gallery. Panelists offered insights into how art and exhibitions can support public awareness of the social and cultural contributions older adults make to our communities. This event was part of special programming related to the Bodies in Translation: Age and Creativity Exhibition held at MSVU Art Gallery (September 9-November 12, 2017). The panel moderator was Dr. Janice Keefe, Director, Nova Scotia Centre on Aging and panelists were:
•Michael Fernandes, artist
•Bill VanGorder, Canadian Association of Retired Persons
•Dr. Ardra Cole, MSVU Centre for Arts Informed Research & Teaching
•Marcel McKeough, Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture & Heritage
Click here to view.

VIDEO ON SENIORS AND DEPRESSION:”Why isn’t Dad fishing anymore? Seniors and depression” is a video approximately 5 minutes in length featuring the real experiences of a family whose father was experiencing depression. Through this family’s story, viewers understand that depression is not a normal part of aging and that depression in later life can be treated. The NSCA worked in collaboration with the NS Seniors Mental Health Network to develop this video. Contact us to receive a copy of the video or click here to view the video.

DR. KEEFE PRESENTS AT TEDxMSVUWOMEN EVENT: Dr. Janice Keefe presented “What to do about Mom?… should we ask her?” at the TEDxMSVUWomen event held at the Mount on Dec 5, 2013. The event is centered around women and innovation – a suitable event for the Mount given its dedication to women. Click here to watch Dr. Keefe’s presentation.

Reports/Briefs/Brochures

REPORT ON STEREOTYPES ABOUT OLDER WORKERS: The report, Older Worker: Exploring and addressing the Stereotypes looks at ageism and the labour force to examine older worker stereotypes held by employers, older workers/older adults and the general public. The report summarizes the literature search strategy and analyzes relevant research on older worker stereotypes and uses language and definitions from the research to identify, understand and interpret common stereotypes, as well as insights and knowledge gaps. The report considers how to address stereotypes through potential responses, strategies and initiatives targeted at specific public and private audiences (e.g., older workers, organizations and employers, and the general public). Older Workers: Exploring and Addressing the Stereotypes

REPORT ON OLDER WORKERS IN NOVA SCOTIA: Want to learn more about the experiences of older workers in Nova Scotia? The summary report is now available at
https://novascotia.ca/shift/Older-Worker-Employment-and-Labour-Force-Participation-Booklet.pdf  and the full report is available at https://novascotia.ca/shift/

SUMMARY REPORT ON LONG TERM CARE IN MARITIMES: As part of Advice Seeking Networks in Long Term Care Project, the Atlantic Team, led by Dr. Janice Keefe, prepared an overview of the policy context of long term care in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Click here to view the document.

BROCHURE ON FAMILY CAREGIVING CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PLANNING FOR ACTION: The Health Care Professionals’ Education About Family Caregiving Consultation Results and Planning for Action brochure provides an overview of caregiver responses regarding: the need for caregiver-related education, the desired outcomes of caregiver-related education, and consideration for the creation and implementation of learning opportunities. Click here to view the brochure.

RESULTS BROCHURE ON HOME & COMMUNITY SUPPORTS: The age-friendly results brochure on Home & Community Suppports is intended to help individuals working in different sectors at the provincial, regional or community levels become more aware of the concerns about home and community supports. As well, opportunities are identified in which different players – older adults, elected officials, government, business leaders, service providers, and community leaders – can work independently or collaboratively to address these concerns. The information presented in this document is based on work that the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging and the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors has completed through working with a number of municipalities in Nova Scotia to assess their age-friendliness. Click here for the Age-Friendly Communities: A Focus on Home & Community Supports brochure.

RESULTS BROCHURE ON SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT: The age-friendly results brochure on social Engagement is intended to help individuals working in different sectors at the provincial, regional or community levels, become more aware of the significance of social engagement for quality of life of older adults. As well, opportunities are identified in which different players – older adults, elected officials, government, business leaders, service providers, and community leaders –can work independently or collaboratively to address these concerns. The information presented in this document is based on work that the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging and the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors has completed through working with a number of municipalities in Nova Scotia to assess their age-friendliness. Click here for the Age-Friendly Communities: A Focus on Social Engagement brochure.

POLICY BRIEF ON CAREGIVER ASSESSMENT: Caregivers, health care practitioners, and health and social care systems benefit from the integration of caregiver assessment in the provision of home care. This is the main finding of a review of studies on caregiver assessment done by Dr. Janice Keefe, in collaboration with colleagues. The policy brief that examines the benefits of caregiver assessment can be found at: Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Policy Brief, Caregiver Assessment: An Essential Component of Continuing Care Policy.

POLICY BRIEF ON SUPPORTING DOUBLE DUTY CAREGIVERS: This policy brief provides key messages from research and recommendations for action to support those individuals who are family caregivers to older relatives/friensd and also health care professionals whose job is to provide care. NSCA Director Dr. Janice Keefe was a Co-Investigator on this project that developed the brief. Click here to view the brief.

SUMMARY REPORT ON ADULT DAY PROGRAMS IN NOVA SCOTIA: This summary provides the results of a research project which assessed the physical environment of 27 adult day programs in Nova Scotia for persons with dementia. This work was completed by Thea Brown, Masters Student, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology, Mount Saint Vincent University. The NSCA is pleased to support the dissemination of this information. Click here to view the research summary.

REPORT ON CAREGIVING IN CANADA: Supporting Caregivers and Caregiving in an Aging Canada, provides an overview on caregiving in Canada, including the costs incurred by caregivers and the type and extent of public support they receive. The report was authored by Dr. Janice Keefe for the Institute for Research on Public Policy. Dr. Keefe presents projections on future care needs and examines potential improvements in policy for income security programs, labour market regulation and human resource management in health and home care. Click here to access the report.

REPORT ON SENIORS HOUSING: The final report for the research project entitled, Projecting the Housing Needs of Aging Atlantic Canadians, is available on the Atlantic Seniors Housing Research Alliance (ASHRA) website. This research project was based at Mount Saint Vincent University (2005-2011) and examined the housing needs and choices, both existing and emerging, of our aging population, then developed policy recommendations on how these needs can be better met in the future. Dr. Janice Keefe was one of the co-investigators on this project.

Other

ONLINE WORKSHOPS ON CAREGIVING: The Centre offers online workshops for health care professionals interested in better understanding the experiences and realities of family and friend caregivers and how to support them. Registration is ongoing until sufficient numbers are achieved to offer the workshops. Please contact us at nsca@msvu.ca for more information or click here.

WEBSITE FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS), working in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging, Mount Saint Vincent University and the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors, has developed a website to improve access to information about abuse of older adults for healthcare professionals. The website helps healthcare professionals test their knowledge of abuse of older adults and provides information about signs of abuse. Go to www.legalinfo.org/elderabuse for more information.

RETIREMENT-IT’S MORE THAN THE MONEY! WORKSHOPS: NSCA offers a workshop that explores the importance of social participation in retirement. The 2.5 hour interactive workshop is available to employers or associations who are interested in helping prepare their employees/members for retirement. Contact us today (nsca@msvu.ca) for more information on having the workshop offered in your workplace or as part of an upcoming event.


NSCA Fall Newsletter 2023

For information on our other resources and publications visit the publications page.