Research summary
Nearly a quarter of older adults in Canada report having three or more chronic health conditions. We know that the number of chronic diseases, not age, is what drives older adults to seek health care. As our society ages, we need to redesign the way we deliver health care to address the needs of older adults with complex conditions more effectively and efficiently.
Dr. Alexandra Papaioannou, Canada Research Chair in Geriatric Medicine and Healthy Aging, is generating sustainable solutions to help seniors avoid becoming frail. Although geriatricians are experts in preventing and managing frailty, there is limited research on individual and health-system interventions to manage the condition. Papaioannou and her research team aim are using their expertise in geriatric medicine and rehabilitation to develop new interventions and models of care for frail older adults and evaluate them across community, hospital and long-term care settings.