Toward inclusive and meaningful partnership of South Asian communities in Fraser Health Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Research

Fraser Health (FH) serves an aging and ethnoculturally diverse population. In 2021, our Long-Term Care and Assisted Living (LTCAL) Research Team, embedded in FH, set up the LTCAL Research Partners Group to help guide research priorities for LTCAL and facilitate patient partnerships in research. However, we have had challenges recruiting members from ethnocultural communities to be involved in the Partners Group. This is problematic because ethnocultural groups are often left out of the foundational stages of research, which can result in studies that do not meet their needs. To address this gap, we want to identify barriers ethnoculturally diverse people may perceive or experience to meaningfully participating and ways they can be addressed. Our ultimate goal is to recruit two to three ethnoculturally diverse new members for the existing LTCAL Research Partners Group. To facilitate this, we will hold consultation dialogues with three different South Asian groups, the fastest growing ethnic community in the region, to obtain their insights about research, challenges to participation and what may help. These consultative activities will also help make inroads with these communities and build relationships with researchers and patient partners.

Team members: Karim Chagani (Long-Term Care and Assisted Living; Fraser Health); Leah Coppella (Simon Fraser University – Department of Geography); Tyler Cole (Simon Fraser University – Department of Geography); Akber Mithani (Long-Term Care and Assisted Living; Fraser Health); Suzanne Fox (Integrated Long Term Care and Assisted Living Services; Fraser Health); Susan Brown (Integrated Long Term Care and Assisted Living Services; Fraser Health); Ian Cameron (Long-Term Care and Assisted Living; Fraser Health); Janice Sorensen (Long-Term Care and Assisted Living; Fraser Health); Valorie Crooks (Simon Fraser University – Department of Geography); Emily Carpenter (Diversity and Language Services; Fraser Health); Alia Januwalla (BC SUPPORT Unit, Fraser Centre); Arun Garg (community-based physician); Rajeev Mohindru (Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society); Sherman Chan (Multilingual Orientation Service Association for Immigrant Communities).