Healthy Aging CORE Research Spotlight: September 2024

Research Spotlight: National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) is a place of learning and dialogue where the truths of Residential School Survivors, families and communities are honoured and kept safe for future generations. The NCTR was created through an agreement between the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the University of Manitoba. On the website you can access educational resources, the national student memorial registry, and research archives that contain documents, oral histories, and photographs collected through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and beyond.

New Research on CORE

• [Learning Resource] Hearts-based Education and Anti-colonial Learning in Healthcare (H.E.A.L. Healthcare)
• [Report] Indigenous cultural safety - An environmental scan of cultural safety initiatives in Canada
• [Video Database] National Centre for Collaboration in Indigenous Education - Elder Knowledge

New Journal Articles

Open Access Articles: Articles that are free and accessible to the general public.

Defriend, C. (2024). You Belong to Everyone: Perspectives on Urban Wellness by Vancouver Island Elders at the Tillicum Lelum Friendship Centre. International Journal of Indigenous Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.32799/ijih.v19i1.41192

In this study, the subject of wellness and the impacts of living off-reserve were explored through storytelling through semi-structured interviews with four Elders. Through analysis of the stories six main themes emerged: connection, way of living, education and employment, colonialism, land, and quality of health care. Four roots were identified (racism, relevance, restrictions, and resources) as contributing to negative experiences in the theme areas and broader systemic issues within health systems..

Wister, A., Li, L., Ferris, J., Kim, B., Klasa, K., & Linkov, I. (2024). Resilience among older adults with multimorbidity using the Connor-Davidson scale in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: health behaviour, socio-economic, and social support predictors. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2567. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19992-8

The authors analyzed data from 13,064 older persons (65+) over three waves of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (Baseline 2011–2015, Follow-up One 2015–2018, and Follow-up Two 2018–2021). Among older persons experiencing multi-morbidity (multiple health conditions) there were a number of factors that were strongly associated with resilience, including higher self-rated health, sleep satisfaction, better appetite and fewer skipped meals, higher income, more social connections, being overweight, and having fewer housing problems.

Velaithan, V., Tan, M. M., Yu, T. F., Liem, A., Teh, P. L., & Su, T. T. (2024). The association of self-perception of aging and quality of life in older adults: a systematic review. The Gerontologist, 64(4), gnad041. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad041

This systematic review synthesized the findings from 32 studies on the association between self-perception of aging and quality of life among older adults. The studies indicated there is a strong association between perceptions of aging and quality of life domains, including physical health and functioning, psychological health, mental health, and general well-being. The results of the review suggest that improving older adults’ self-perception of aging can positively affect their quality of life.