4. Mental health and addictions
- Date: 2024-10-25
- Concurrent Session: Concurrent Session EF
- Time: 9:45- 12 pm
- Room:
- Style: Workshop (session is structure for interaction and/or hands-on learning opportunities)
- Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
- Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.) Clinical providers Administrative staff Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations
Learning Objectives:
Participants will learn:
- Apply the new clinical practice guidelines on social isolation and loneliness in older adults.
- Reflect on opportunities that may exist for health care and social service professionals and/or their systems to work together to integrate practice change.
- Identify where and how specific recommendations might be integrated into their clinical or professional practice.
Summary/Abstract:
Social Isolation and Loneliness have emerged as key elements affecting the physical and mental well-being of older adults across Canada. Research from the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health (CCSMH) shows that while most clinicians report they understand the mental and physical health risks of social isolation and loneliness, and would like to lend support many do not feel well-equipped to address this issue. In response to this societal challenge, CCSMH has developed clinical guidelines on social isolation and loneliness specific to older adults. CCSMH developed these clinical guidelines primarily for health care and social service professionals to support them in their professional roles working with older adults. Methodology included a rapid scoping literature review, utilizing the GRADE approach and consensus decision making. The guidelines were informed, developed, and reviewed by a pan-Canadian interdisciplinary group including academic, research, clinical and community based professional experts in this field. Two national surveys of health care and social service professionals and older adults also informed the guideline development. These Canadian clinical guidelines are the first in the world and include 17 recommendations in the areas of Prevention, Screening, Assessment, and Interventions. Workshop participants will share and explore opportunities for incorporating these guidelines into a range of practice settings. This workshop will result in increased knowledge regarding the specific recommendations in the new clinical guidelines on social isolation and loneliness in older adults and explore practical ways to move the recommendations into meaningful practice change.
Presenter:
- Dr. David Conn MB, CH, BAO, FRPC, Executive VP, Education and Chief Academic Officer Baycrest Academy for Research & Education
- Peter Snow BA, MA, MSW, Health Promotion Coordinator Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health