Research summary
Approximately 160,000 Canadians live in long-term care facilities across the country—and as our population ages, demand for beds in these facilities is expected to increase significantly. But are the Canadians who live in these facilities always getting the care they need—especially during health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic? As Canada Research Chair in Translational Research in Long-term Care, Dr. Andrew Costa’s goal is to improve the health and well-being of older adults living in long-term care.
He and his research team aim to shed light on the factors that influence infectious disease outbreaks and outcomes at both the community and home level. They are also investigating the burden, transmission and outcomes of infectious diseases and studying how residents of long-term care homes respond to vaccines. Ultimately, their findings could increase the resilience of older Canadians living in long-term care to infectious diseases.