Backgrounder: Government Of Canada Invests In A Stronger Health Care System

University of Victoria researchers today received more than $330,000 for a project examining how older adults transition through various phases of the long-term care system.

Drs. Margaret Penning (Sociology) and Denise Cloutier (Geography) of UVic’s Centre on Aging will lead the research team on the project, to be conducted on the mainland within the Fraser Health Authority, with funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research ($233,259) and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research ($99,967).

Penning, a professor in UVic’s Department of Sociology, is interested in the sociology of aging, health and health care, and in examining self, informal and formal care in relation to issues of chronic illness and disability in middle and later life, the impact of structural inequalities on health and health care, and health care restructuring and reform in the Canadian context. She also serves as editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal on Aging.

Cloutier is a social gerontologist and health/social geographer. She is an associate professor in UVic’s Department of Geography and the Centre on Aging. Broadly speaking, her research focuses on the care continuum for older adults ranging from formal health and social services to voluntary, and informal sector care. Her work explores the social determinants of health and the impacts of health sector restructuring on vulnerable older adults (e.g., rural older adults, socially isolated individuals, palliative clients, and stroke survivors).

UVic’s Centre on Aging promotes and conducts basic and applied research throughout the lifespan in partnership with seniors, their families, organizations, healthcare providers, and the government. It is a multi-disciplinary research centre partnering with families, health-care providers, government and organizations like the World Health Organization to understand and address the needs of seniors. Studies include needs assessments and social surveys, experimental research, program evaluations, development of clinical diagnostic tools, and social policy research.

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