Grant: Team Grant: Community-Based Primary Healthcare - LOI

Identifying effective interventions to improve quality of life for older adults is a public health priority because of the unprecedented aging of the population. Most likely to benefit from such interventions are older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) like diabetes and arthritis, representing 33% of community-living adults aged 65 or older. Seniors with MCCs make up 40% of reported health care use among seniors in Canada. The purpose of this research program is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of, innovative community-based primary healthcare interventions to promote optimal aging for older adults living in the community with MCC and their family caregivers. The research program will consist of six interrelated studies focused on enhancing understanding of: 1) how older adults with MCC, family caregivers and health professionals manage MCC, 2) the determinants, health outcomes and costs associated with MCC, 3) the influence of gender, age, education, income and other factors on the quality of life of caregivers of older adults with MCC, 4) evaluation of the effectiveness and costs of an intervention to support family caregivers of older persons with dementia, 5) evaluation of the effectiveness and costs of a health promotion strategy to improve the quality of life of older adults with Type 2 Diabetes and comorbid health conditions, and 6) evaluation of a health promotion intervention for frail older home care clients and their family caregivers. The knowledge gained from this research program will be used to improve chronic disease prevention and management and increase access to appropriate healthcare services for older adults and their caregivers.