Social Connection and Quality of Life
A research project in long-term care homes
This presentation will provide an overview of research on social connection in long-term care (LTC) homes. It will unpack the concept of social connection and describe the relationships with physical and mental health, potential strategies to support social connection and an international study to improve measurement.
Jennifer Bethell is an epidemiologist and Affiliate Scientist at the KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network. Her research interests include social connection, older adults, dementia and long-term care settings. She co-leads the Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Dementia (EPLED) program within the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) and the Social Connection in Long-Term Care Home Residents (SONNET) study.