Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our aging population

How can we address the critical health workforce shortage and build a sustainable future for seniors' care? In Canada, and especially in Ontario, the demand for nurses and personal support workers continues to climb. Ontario alone needs tens of thousands of additional workers to meet the growing care needs and to support new long-term care spaces. This challenge is not unique to Ontario or Canada; it's a global issue affecting healthcare systems worldwide.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by two visionary leaders and discuss how to tackle these workforce challenges on a global scale:

• Mansur Dalal, Chairman of CommonAge, founder of the Association of Senior Living in India, and passionate about building sustainable seniors’ care systems and creating career pathways for young people in this field.
• Robyn Stone, Senior Vice President of Research at LeadingAge, Co-Director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center at UMass Boston, and who has extensive experience in long-term care policy, chronic care, and the aging services workforce. Listen as they share innovative ideas and discuss how regions around the world can collaborate to create opportunities for workers and ensure we all have the support we need as we age.



Thanks for listening to Season 4! Join us next week for a new episode. Subscribe to Coming of Age to catch each new episode as soon as it’s released.

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, Plan A powered by StaffStat.

Welcome to Season 4 of 'Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our aging population.'

In just four years, the oldest baby boomers will turn 80. By 2040, in Ontario alone, our over-80 population will have nearly doubled. 

For many, these numbers are hard to comprehend. But the reality is, our society is getting older, their health needs are getting more complex, and we’ll need to significantly expand our services to keep up with the demand.

Join us for Season 4 as we peek into the future of care and aging with innovative solutions that are leading the way.

Six powerful new episodes, with experts from around the world coming this September. Subscribe now.

How do we build a better future for seniors? Elderly populations around the world are growing. And in regions like Ontario, Canada, one in five seniors over the age of 80 have complex care needs that currently can only be safely met in long-term care. Yet Ontario has more than 40,000 people waiting for long-term care and the list is growing.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by three Ontario health system leaders from hospital, long-term care and community care:

• Karli Farrow, President and CEO, Trillium Health Partners
• Nitin Jain, President and CEO, Sienna Senior Living
• Tess Romain, President, Partners Community Health

Listen as they discuss the challenges facing leaders today and what opportunities they see for the future.

Resources:

• How to support our frail elderly, a Suggested Action Plan, by leaders across the health sectors in Ontario, who have identified existing solutions that can be expanded to support seniors’ care for our growing, elderly population.
• Harvard Business Review: Create Stories That Change Your Company’s Culture, Work with these six building blocks. by Jay B. Barney, Manoel Amorim, and Carlos Júlio
• Read about Kamaljit’s dream to see Michael Bublé in concert by Sienna Senior Living

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, Plan A Powered by StaffStat.

How can communities help more seniors to age in place? Canada’s urban areas are home to a large number of older adults, and more are choosing to live in apartment and condo buildings than ever before.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by a researcher and innovator on naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) in urban centres:

• Jen Recknagel, Senior Design Lead and Director of Innovation and Design, NORC Innovation Centre
• Paula Rochon, Founding Director of Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and Professor of Medicine and the Ontario Chair for the Retired Teachers in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Toronto

Listen as they explore the evolving world of NORCs and how they could make it possible for more seniors to sustain independence longer.

Resources:

• NORC Innovation Centre at the University Health Network
• OpenLab, a design and innovation studio dedicated to finding creative solutions at the intersection of health and society.
• Article: What works best to support older adults to age in place? by Women’s College Hospital
• Survey: Getting ready for the aging Baby Boom generation by the Ontario Long Term Care Association

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, Arjo.

How can jurisdictions work across sectors to ensure a better future for all of us as we age? Aging well is multifaceted and requires collaboration to develop and implement innovative and aligned solutions – such as local infrastructure, transportation, housing, health care and social services, education and more.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by two U.S. experts on aging services and multi-sector planning. Listen as they explore how states in the U.S. and their governments are leveraging master plans on aging that bring everyone to the table – local infrastructure, housing, health and social services, education and more – to align initiatives and improve services for older adults and their caregivers.

Episode guests:

• Katie Smith Sloan, aging services’ expert, President and CEO of Leading Age in the U.S. and Executive Director of the Global Ageing Network
• Sarita Mohanty, a partner and strategist for California’s multi-sector aging plan and President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation

Resources:

• The SCAN Foundation resources for aging well
• California’s Master Plan for Aging
• How to support our frail elderly, a Suggested Action Plan, by leaders across the health sectors in Ontario, who have identified existing solutions that can be expanded to support seniors’ care for our growing, elderly population.

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, Arjo.

Are Baby Boomers preparing for their future healthcare needs? In four years, the oldest of the Baby Boom generation will turn 80. By 2040, the population over 80 will double and we know their complex care needs will grow. Until recently however, one of the missing pieces of information in conversations about future seniors’ care planning was how the Baby Boom generation is preparing for potential challenges as they age.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by David Coletto, Chairman and CEO of one of Canada’s leading polling and public opinion research firms: Abacus Data. With a career spanning over two decades, David has devoted his life to exploring what people think and feel about their work and lives.

In May of 2023, the Ontario Long Term Care Association commissioned Abacus Data to survey 1,000 Ontario residents aged 68 to 76 to help with our planning for the future. Listen as we explore what we learned and the implications for Boomers, governments, and seniors’ care providers.

Resources:

·       Getting ready for the aging Baby Boom generation: a survey

·       Abacus Data market and public opinion research agency

Thanks for listening to Season 3! Join us next week for a new episode. Subscribe to Coming of Age to catch each new episode as soon as it’s released.

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, PointClickCare.

What does it take to become an accredited nurse in Canada? In a world where healthcare professionals are in high demand, nations are turning to internationally educated nurses to bridge the gap.

In this episode, Donna Duncan invites two internationally educated nurses onto the podcast to share their journey from the Philippines to working in a long-term care home in northern Ontario, Canada.

Episode guests:

·       Mc Leonarld Puno, Registered Practical Nurse, Extendicare Maple View, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and nursing student, Sault College

·   Nanette Garcia, Registered Practical Nurse, Extendicare Maple View, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Resources:

·       Ontario College of Nurses, How to become a nurse in Ontario

·       Services for Internationally Educated Health Professionals

·       Healthforce Ontario’s Community Commitment Program for Nurses which provides grant funding to attract nurses to work in Ontario, Canada

Thanks for listening to Season 3! Join us next week for a new episode. Subscribe to Coming of Age to catch each new episode as soon as it’s released.

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, Plan A Powered by StaffStat.

With an ever-changing demographic landscape, how do we provide care that can be tailored to individual, cultural needs? Also, with an increasing reliance on newcomers to Canada within the caregiving workforce, how do we ensure we are creating inclusive and welcoming work environments? These questions are top of mind with leaders and care providers today – not only in Canada, but around the world.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by two leaders in long-term care in Ontario, Canada that operate in culturally diverse communities.

·   Adil Khalfan, President and CEO of Kensington Health that is based in downtown Toronto and offers community-based specialized healthcare services.

·   Dr. San Ng, CEO of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, Canada’s largest not-for-profit senior care organization delivering culturally appropriate services to Chinese and other Asian seniors.

Together, they explore cultural proficiency and safety in long-term care homes and the opportunities that are unfolding.

Resources:

·      An introduction to culturally appropriate care and equity, diversity and inclusion by the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care

·       Embracing diversity toolkit developed by the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI)

Thanks for listening to Season 3! Join us next week for a new episode. Subscribe to Coming of Age to catch each new episode as soon as it’s released.

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, ARJO.

As the first of the Baby Boomers soon turn 80, how can technology enhance their lives and help them stay home? Finding the right tools, that make life simpler and easier, is key.

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by Mike Agerbo, a digital living expert and family caregiver. For nearly 20 years, as a radio, TV and podcast host, Mike has been reporting on breaking news, testing gadgets, and making technology easier to understand – and live with. Mike shares a wealth of knowledge about the technologies that are out there today. How to find them, and most importantly, how to use them to enhance our older loved ones' health, wellness and safety at home.

Resources:

· GetConnected radio show and podcast. Listen to Mike and his team as they bring new technology to you.

Thanks for listening to Season 3! Join us in two weeks for a new episode. Subscribe to Coming of Age to catch each our next episode as soon as it’s released on November 14, 2023.

This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, PointClickCare.

How will Canadians balance their caregiving duties with their jobs? As the first of the baby boomers soon turn 80, we expect a growing number of employees in workplaces across Canada with caregiving responsibilities. 

In this episode, Donna Duncan is joined by a panel of experts discussing elder caregiving and the modern workplace. Listen as they explore the growing trends and implications for employers and for Canadians balancing caring for their elderly loved ones with careers and workplace commitments. As more Canadians find themselves navigating caregiving responsibilities, let’s discuss workplace and societal strategies.

Episode guests:

·   Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist, Conference Board of Canada

·   Nora Spinks, Work-Life Harmony Enterprises and seniors’ and family thought-leader

·       Allison Williams, Social Geographer at McMaster University and Research Lead of the Canadian Institute for Health Research/Social Science Humanities Health Research, Healthy Productive Work Partnership Grant

Resources:

·   Conference Board of Canada Reports

o   The time to fix long-term care is now (2020)

o   Sizing up the challenge: Meeting the demand for long-term care in Canada (2017)

·   Resources for employers:

o   Caregiver Friendly Workplace by McMaster University

o   Carer-friendly workplaces, inclusive and accommodating employment practices by Carers Canada

·       Research

o   Balancing Flexibility and Administrative Burden: Experiences of Family Managers Using Directly Funded Home Care in Manitoba, Canada

o   Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on carer-employees’ well-being: a twelve-country comparison

Thanks for listening to Season 3! Join us next week for a new episode. Subscribe to Coming of Age to catch each new episode as soon as it’s released.