Empowering Integrated Care for Healthy Aging: Co-developing a Collaborative Plan with South Asian and Chinese Communities for Inclusion and Equity
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Year 2024
- Principal investigator Lillian Hung
- Co-lead(s) Grace Park, Fraser Health Authority
- Host institution University of British Columbia
- Research location Fraser Health Authority
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Team members
- Grace Park, Fraser Health Authority
- Margaret Lin, University of British Columbia
- Lily Haopu Ren, University of British Columbia
- Meiying Li, Patient Partner
- David Li, Patient Partner
- Betsy Leimbigler, InterCultural Online Health Network (iCON) at the University of British Columbia
- Zarif Akbarian, MOSAIC
- Roman Bhangoo, South Asian Health Institute (SAHI) at Fraser Health
- Ryan Drew, S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
- Osob Mohamed, Fraser Health;
In 2021, 20.3% of BC’s population was 65 and older. Our older population is expected to grow to 25% in 2041 – a super-aged society. An integrated and inclusive care approach is needed for diverse and complex needs of older people to promote healthy aging for all. Fraser Health has implemented two regional initiatives to support healthy aging: social prescribing and the frailty pathway. Meanwhile, half of the population in the Fraser Health region are visible minorities, and 60% of the population are South Asian and Chinese. To ensure a culturally inclusive integrated care model, this project will bring health practitioners, community partners, policymakers, South Asian and Chinese older adults, and families together to discuss research priorities that can empower communities and increase health system capacity. Utilizing Appreciative Inquiry and WHO’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) methodology, we will co-plan two citizen workshops to build shared visions and collaborations across sectors. Collectively, all partners will identify strengths, potentials, and actionable strategies to enable research collaborations for an inclusive integrated model of senior care.