Healthcare worker speaking with an older adult at home

Focus area

Care of older adults with health and social needs

As Canada’s population of older adults grows, so does the demand for models of care that meet their diverse needs and lead to better outcomes. It’s time to reimagine care with – and for – older adults.

Supporting an aging population includes developing new policies and ways of providing services that better integrate health and social care. It means exploring approaches that help people age in place safely, either at home or in their community. And it requires us to address gaps in the safety and quality of care received in different contexts, including by providing more support to healthcare workers.

Healthcare Excellence Canada believes all approaches to care must be built to meet the different needs and preferences of older adults across the country. Understanding and integrating their lived experiences are key to fostering safe, equitable care that benefits older adults and those who support them, including family members, essential care partners and care providers.

How is Healthcare Excellence Canada supporting care of older adults with health and social needs? 

We believe safe, equitable and high-quality healthcare should be available to everyone in Canada, no matter their age or needs. That’s why we’re working to improve care of older adults in different contexts, including by:

  • working with older adults, their essential care partners and other partners to explore opportunities to reimagine excellence in care for older adults living at home
  • collaborating to improve the safety, quality and experience of care for people living with dementia in long-term care, through person-centered approaches and the appropriate use of antipsychotics 
  • supporting a network of long-term care and retirement homes to enhance their capacity through access to peer support, virtual learning, coaching and funding 
  • spreading proven approaches to improve the screening, assessment and management of older adults living with frailty in primary care and home care

Related Programs

Enabling Aging in Place
This collaborative supports the implementation of promising practices that enable older adults to age at home, in the community, with formal support.
Nursing Home Without Walls
This program aims to enhance the experience of aging by empowering older adults and their caregivers in New Brunswick to age in their homes.
Reimagining LTC
Reimagining LTC supported long-term care homes to build better care with and for people living and working in long-term care.
OPUS-AP – PEPS in Quebec
The integrated OPUS-AP – PEPS approach for optimal use of medication in long-term care centres in Quebec.
Patient Safety Essentials
A free, six module, self-directed program designed especially for healthcare providers to help you understand the core of patient safety.
Effective Governance for Quality and Patient Safety
A free, eight module, self-directed program to equip healthcare boards and leaders for excellence, focused on safe and high-quality healthcare.

Related Resources

Promising Practices for Enabling Aging in Place
Learn more about some of the many approaches that are helping older adults age in place with improved safety, health and quality of life outcomes.
Webinar Series: Enabling Aging in Place
Sign up for this webinar series to learn more about innovative approaches that are helping older adults age at home.
Support for Caregivers
This report explores existing programming supports for caregivers who enable aging in place and identifies gaps and common practices across Canada.
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Next topic:

Pandemic recovery and health system resilience

Together, we can learn from the pandemic and build safer, more resilient and equitable ways of delivering care.  

Learn more