Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU)

Interventions to Enhance Social Inclusion of Older Adults with Dementia in Saskatchewan is a five year, federally funded project that focuses on improving the public’s awareness of the stigma and social isolation experienced by people with dementia and their care partners.

The project team at the University of Regina is collaborating with the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan and other provincial and local organizations to design and implement individual, community and organizational level interventions that enhance social inclusion of older adults with dementia living in small towns and rural communities in Saskatchewan.

Project Area

Community Need

Older adults living in small cities or rural and remote communities face unique barriers to accessing dementia care which are compounded by limited finances, education, public transportation, and geographic distance (Forbes & Hawranik, 2012; Jeffery et al., 2013).

Individual, community, and organizational level services are essential to support those with dementia, and their care partners, in their own communities so that they can successfully age in place.

Objectives

To improve the feeling of social inclusion of older adults with dementia and their care partners residing in Yorkton and surrounding rural areas.

To improve public awareness about dementia.

To reduce level of public stigma about dementia.

To improve supports for customers, clients and employees who are living with dementia or their care partners residing in Yorkton and surrounding areas.