Cape Breton University is celebrating the success of faculty researcher, Dr. Alison Grittner, for receiving the largest research grant in CBU’s 50-year history to address the needs of aging rural Nova Scotians. Research Nova Scotia presented Dr. Grittner, Assistant Professor in CBU’s Bachelor of Social Work program, with an award of $12.4 million though its Focused Research Investment program to develop and pilot supports for rural Nova Scotians to age in the right place. The seven-year project, titled Homeward Bound: Enhancing Healthcare, Housing and Social Support for Aging Rural Nova Scotians, will introduce aging-related programs in selected communities in Nova Scotia’s eastern zone. It will design and test the impact of healthcare and social supports, as well as those to address sustainable housing challenges.
Driven by the expertise of an interdisciplinary team across the fields of social work, architecture, medicine, economics, occupational therapy, gerontology, and more, the research will collaborate with Nova Scotia seniors to support aging in the right place, a concept focused on empowering older adults to age in the location of their choice. The project will also engage world-renowned geriatrician, Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, to apply best-practices around frailty.
Target communities will be those meeting the criteria of naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs). Dr. Grittner explains that NORCs are areas with high concentrations of older adults that developed organically over time.
“These communities were not specifically designed for aging populations, instead, they emerge as residents progress through life stages and remain in their family homes, younger individuals move away, or older adults relocate to these neighborhoods,” Dr. Grittner explains. “We’ve heard from rural NORC residents that many want to age in their chosen communities, but supports are often limited, forcing tough decisions when aging-related challenges emerge, like changes in mobility or increased healthcare needs.”
The research will collaborate with NORC communities to introduce and evaluate four areas of support services, including surgical transition care, pre-habilitation and physical activity programs, a built-environment assessment and modification service, and social supports through a community navigator. The funds will also support the purchase of a mobile research van and creation of a virtual care remote automated monitoring clinic, as well funding to pilot a service model for home modifications and repairs required for safe and healthy aging.
“The first phase of the project will include GIS mapping to identify areas with a high density of people 60 years and older and to engage in community consultations,” says Dr. Grittner. “Together, we will work with communities to determine what aging-related resources and programs are already available and which communities wish to partner for the duration of the project.” She adds that the first years of the project will be spent building the project framework alongside partner-NORC communities, testing the programs in one NORC, then refining the details before adding the additional project sites. The results are expected to help create a model that can be applied to other communities across rural Nova Scotia and beyond.
CBU President and Vice-Chancellor, David C. Dingwall, says this monumental project is another example of CBU’s support for the communities it serves.
“CBU is proud to be recognized as a leader in community-engaged research with this significant vote of confidence from the province of Nova Scotia,” says President Dingwall. “We look forward to the impact of Dr. Grittner’s work and applaud her success.”
CBU’s commitment to invest in healthy and prosperous communities continues to be realized in this and other projects, including its new Social Work degree, the Centre of Excellence for Healthy Aging, the Communities and Healthy Aging in-community programs, and the new Cape Breton Medical Campus.