Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Introduction: Canada's healthcare and social services systems are failing high risk, vulnerable older adults. Care for vulnerable older Canadians (65 and older) is not optimal in Canada. It does not address the care needs of vulnerable, high risk adults using a holistic approach. Integration of health and social services is an emerging trend in Canada, when compared to European countries. Consequently, a clear understanding and definition of integrated health and social services is absent in Canada. No database or inventory exists of Canadian integrated health and social services initiatives. Objectives: A study was undertaken to develop a case definition for integrated health and social care initiatives that serve older adults, and was used to identify Canadian-based initiatives, which was then tested against three Canadian integrated initiatives. Methodology: A limited literature review was undertaken to identify common characteristics of integrated health and social care initiatives that serve older adults, and comprised both scientific and grey literature. The development of the definition incorporated the common characteristics identified. Three Canadian integrated initiatives were identified using an online search. They were surveyed to determine if the literature-based integration characteristics applied to them. Results: The literature showed that there were 24 common healthcare and social services integration characteristics that could be categorized into ten themes: 1) patient-care approach; 2) program goals; 3) measurement; 4) service and care quality; 5) accountability and responsibility; 6) information sharing; 7) Decision-making and problem-solving; 8) culture; 9) leadership; and 10) staff and professional interaction. The three initiatives showed consensus on all the integration characteristics except for characteristics associated with healthcare and social care professional interaction, collaborative leadership and shared culture.