Loneliness is everywhere. Peer support – residents helping resident – is a cost effective and powerful approach to ending loneliness in senior living. Yet in the search for a solution, peer support is often overlooked. How can we create creating safe, caring and inclusive places for residents to build meaningful relationships?
The Power of Peer Support: Reducing Social Isolation in Residential Care project is a recent collaboration between the Ontario CLRI at Bruyère, Carleton University, Bruyère Continuing Care and Java Group Programs. This project is funded by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, Carleton University and the government of Ontario through the Ontario CLRI hosted at Bruyère.
Loneliness affects one out of two residents living in these settings and continues to be a critical concern. Take a look at this video to see how loneliness was addressed in collaboration in 38 homes across Ontario, Canada: The Power of Peer Support