Why do you want to pursue studies & career in eldercare?



This past summer, I started a research internship with the organization TREC (Translating Research in Elder Care). TREC is a research program that focuses on developing solutions for improving nursing home resident lives, enriching the work-life of staff, and enhancing Long-term care (LTC) system efficiency. Working with this team has introduced me to the challenges faced by residents, staff, and organizations. Through my nursing school experiences in eldercare, my research internship, and personal experiences, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the staff and residents in eldercare. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing issues and has profoundly impacted LTC; this has motivated me to focus my nursing school research on improving the experience of providing and receiving care in LTC homes. I am currently contributing to a systematic review evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline nursing home staffs’ physical and mental health and work-life outcomes. After completing this review, I will lead a systematic review that will evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on care home residents’ health & quality of life outcomes. The results of these studies will inform policy change and evidence-based practice to improve the quality of life of residents and the quality of work-life for staff. 



If you have previous work or volunteer experience involving caring for others, talk about it here and what you learned from that experience. Include links if you have any.



In the fall of 2020, I completed my second-year nursing clinical rotation in a Long-term care facility. This experience was extremely valuable to me as it excelled my skills as a student nurse. I gained an empathetic perspective for the residents and learned to appreciate the hard work of the staff. In this clinical, I shadowed Health Care Aides and worked alongside them to provide daily care for residents. Tasks I assisted with included daily hygiene, mobilizing, helping with mealtime, and socializing with the residents. I learned the importance of promoting dignity and autonomy in every task that I completed keeping in mind that it can easily be forgotten due to the repetitive nature of the work. I was also able to improve my interpersonal communication skills significantly. I learned to be aware of my surroundings and how they may impact my interaction with the resident. For example, when communicating with those with hearing loss, I would speak clearly and, if possible, in a quiet setting. In addition to the nursing skills I developed through this experience, it reminded me to appreciate the essential things in my life that contribute to my well-being, like talking, walking, and caring for myself. 



Are you interested in doing your placement at Alexis Lodge?





What is one way you think the eldercare sector could be improved?



Before COVID-19, emerging research has begun to examine the prevalence of psychological trauma in older adults with dementia and how this impacts their behaviour and the caregiving relationship. Dementia and Post-traumatic stress disorder have a bidirectional relationship. When these conditions co-occur, it is distressing for residents, family, and staff as retraumatization is common in hospital and congregate living; this increases the need for evidence-based care to improve the quality of Nursing home residents’ lives. In addition to this, staff, particularly care aides are at higher risk of experiencing trauma. Preliminary results from our systematic reviews have uncovered worrying rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in staff and residents. Integrating Trauma-informed Care with existing person-centred care models would benefit residents and staff in the eldercare sector. In the absence of trauma-informed care, the unintentional triggering of past traumatic events in residents can cause distress in both the resident and staff. With the recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased stress has been brought upon Nursing home residents and workers, making this issue more prevalent than ever. The implementation of Trauma-informed care in Nursing homes is integral to ensuring an optimal quality of life and death for nursing home residents and enhancing the work-life for their caregivers.