Grant: Summer Program in Aging

Supervisor's name: Professor Walter Wodchis, Institution name: University of Toronto The number of people living with multiple chronic illnesses is increasing and this has become a challenge to the health systems worldwide, with increasing cost of care. A major problem is when there is gap in care which can lead to major complications and consequences such as increase in medical errors, poor health outcomes, higher rates of re-hospitalization, and death. This makes it harder for doctors and nurses to provide better care. In order to provide better care and ensure that care is continuous and coordinated, we need to understand why there are gaps in care and how they affect people with multi-morbidity. This study will combine quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the experiences of older adults with multiple chronic illnesses who face gaps in their care. I will also seek out any challenges faced by primary care providers in Ontario. I will interview older adults to understand the causes of these gaps and the effects these gaps have on their health. I will also interview primary care providers who care for these older adults to understand the challenges they face when care is not continuous. I will then analyze health records to see how these gaps affect the health outcomes of older adults with multiple chronic conditions. The results from this study will be useful for policymakers and healthcare providers to create better solutions for improving care of older adults with multiple chronic conditions.