Aging & Social Change: Thirteenth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

More than 80% of the COVID19-related deaths in Canada occurred in geriatric residential care facilities, such as long-term care, assisted living, and other types of congregate living settings for people over 65 years of age. To curb the mortality rate, strict public measures had been introduced in these care settings, resulting in some adverse psychosocial effects for older adult residents, including social isolation and exclusion, decreased social support, and other unaddressed social determinants of health. The goal of this presentation is to report the study findings about social care strategies used in Canadian geriatric residential care facilities during the pandemic years. Two specific objectives include: 1) Mapping social care strategies to address the social determinants of health; 2) Identifying specific gaps in addressing the social determinants of health in geriatric residential care facilities in Canada. Methods: This knowledge synthesis study employed a novel methodology of Living Systematic Review (LSR), following the Cochrane guidelines. Implications: As the first systematic review of social care strategies in geriatric residential care facilities at the time of the COVID19 pandemic, this study can inform social workers, nurse professionals, recreational therapists, occupational and physical therapists, clergy, personal support workers and other staff in geriatric residential care in Canada and beyond on a variety of social care strategies utilized to address social determinants of health of older adults in congregate living settings. The study also provides recommendations for future research, policy, practice and education for care of older adults in institutional settings.