This cross-sectional study examinee health and social concerns among community-dwelling older people, the resources they sought, and factors related to these concerns.

A convenience sample of 222 Nova Scotians aged 65 or over completed a semi-structured interview using the ACT® Assess, which assess 53 common health and social issues across six domains. Each item was linked to a database of corresponding local resources.

Over 40% of participants reported loneliness, moderate or greater pain, sleep problems, and/or bereavement – all within the Mental Health domain. However, only 32% sought Mental Health resources, compared to over 60% who sought resources for Accommodation and Finances. Participants receiving care showed greater challenges in activities of daily living and mobility.

Findings suggest a high level of concern, even among a relatively healthy sample, and indicate a progression of concerns from psychosocial and home maintenance issues to mobility and functional challenges.

We undertook a qualitative descriptive study to explore participants’ perceptions of whether marital status shapes how functional social support (FSS) relates to memory.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 community-dwelling middle-aged and older people representing various marital status categories. Each interview was audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.

Participants did not perceive marital status to shape the FSS–memory relationship. Three themes emerged to explain this view: learning to cope – participants used alternatives besides a spouse to deal with memory challenges; context matters – factors such as marital satisfaction must be considered; and doing more harm than good – some spouses may provide excessive support, reducing participants’ autonomy to stimulate their own cognitive processes.

These themes highlight that marital relationships are complex and that contextual factors such as marital quality and support adequacy should be considered to provide a comprehensive understanding of how social and marital dynamics shape cognitive trajectories in aging populations.

Receiving a dementia diagnosis is a complex experience that can provide clarity about symptoms but often creates uncertainty. Support during and after diagnosis is essential to help individuals navigate living with dementia. This qualitative descriptive study examined experiences during and after diagnosis among people with dementia and care partners in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec.

Interviews with 5 people with dementia and 15 care partners were conducted and then analysed using qualitative content analysis to identify barriers, facilitators, and contextual influences related to a positive experience.

Barriers included limited resources, poorly coordinated care, disorganized diagnostic pathways, and stigma. Facilitators included access to information, person-centred care, support networks, recognition of personhood, and structured care navigation. The COVID-19 pandemic further shaped experiences.

Findings highlight the importance of compassionate care, accessible information, and coordinated services while underscoring systemic gaps, stigma, and the impact of the pandemic.

This research note assessed the relationship between health status and union dissolution in middle and later life in the Canadian context.

Data were drawn from four waves (2014–2020) of the Canadian Longitudinal and International Study of Adults aged 45 and older. Logistic regression analyses examined the effects of stability and changes in self-rated health (SRH) and psychological distress on subsequent marital and cohabiting union dissolution.

Unlike those whose SRH declined over time, those who experienced continuing fair/poor SRH had a greater likelihood of subsequent union dissolution compared to those experiencing continuing good/very good/excellent or improved SRH. In contrast, those reporting increased psychological distress were more likely to experience union dissolution later on.

Policies and interventions that limit poor physical and mental health of individuals as they age may also serve to reduce the occurrence of union dissolution and its implications.

Older refugees often navigate complex health care needs while aging in resettlement contexts. For Syrian refugees in the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions, barriers within the Canadian health care system may shape how care is accessed, coordinated, and supplemented through transnational practices.

This study examines how older Syrian refugees aging in the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions navigate health care and construct hybrid health care pathways across local and transnational contexts.

A qualitative interpretive descriptive design was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 Syrian refugees aged 55–63. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns in participants’ experiences of accessing, coordinating, and supplementing health care.

Participants described persistent linguistic barriers, long wait times, and limited access to culturally aligned services within the Canadian health care system. In response, they developed hybrid health care pathways that combined Canadian health care with transnational practices, including consultations with clinicians abroad, cross-border medication use, family support, traditional remedies, and digital technologies. Digital tools played a central role in bridging language and geographic gaps and supporting care coordination. While these hybrid pathways enhanced autonomy, continuity of care, and perceived control, they also introduced risks related to medication safety, fragmented care, informal decision-making, and digital inequities.

The findings show that older Syrian refugees’ health care navigation extends beyond formal Canadian health services and is shaped by transnational relationships, cultural knowledge, digital access, and prior health system experiences. Hybrid health care pathways can support continuity and culturally meaningful care, but they also require careful attention to safety, communication, and equity. Health systems should develop culturally responsive and digitally inclusive models that recognize transnational care practices while supporting safer integration with local care.

Immigrant and racialized Canadians constitute an increasing percentage of the older adult population. Attention is needed to the role of municipalities and their key partners in creating urban environments that are supportive of aging in place.

We conducted a qualitative descriptive sub-study of policy partners’ perceptions of age-friendly policies and initiatives as part of a larger community-based participatory project in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada).

Nineteen participants, including elected municipal representatives, city administrators, advisory committee volunteers and seniors-serving organization staff, took part in semi-structured interviews, which was followed with a reflexive thematic analysis of the data. Participants described high levels of awareness about inequities faced by immigrant and racialized older adults. Advocacy and policy efforts, however, were constrained by insufficient funding, lack of capacity for sustainable initiatives, unclear jurisdictional boundaries and competing priorities.

This study examines how intensive caregivers in Nova Scotia who receive the provincial government’s Caregiver Benefit interpret and experience the program, particularly in the context of its ambiguous goals.

A qualitative descriptive methodological design was used to ensure that the reporting of findings remained close to participants’ own words and to emphasize the practicality of findings. Twenty family caregivers with experience receiving the Caregiver Benefit participated in a semi-structured interview.

Our analysis captured four themes: (a) caregiving intensity shaping perceptions of the Benefit, (b) financial relief provided by the Benefit, (c) systemic barriers to access, and (d) policy problems.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the firsthand accounts of caregivers’ experiences with the Caregiver Benefit in Nova Scotia.

Older refugees are often depicted in deficit-oriented terms in policy and scholarly discourse, leading to limited recognition of their capacities, agency, and social contributions.

This study examines the sociocultural roles and contributions of older African refugees in Calgary, Canada.

Drawing on qualitative storytelling and diagramming, with 11 older African refugees serving as co-researchers, to illuminate how they support younger generations and strengthen community resilience.

The results demonstrate that older refugees actively contribute through cultural and linguistic transmission, moral and civic mentorship, financial guidance, and culturally grounded support. Co-researchers described themselves as heritage keepers safeguarding language, culture, and identity amid perceived cultural risks in the host society. These contributions challenge prevailing assumptions of older refugees as passive or dependent and highlight the importance of recognizing their community influences.

The study underscores the need for strength-based policies and services that acknowledge older refugees’ sociocultural roles in supporting intergenerational well-being and community integration.

Older adults living with HIV face intersecting challenges related to aging, stigma, and healthcare navigation. Arts-based research (ABR) has the potential to support resilience and well-being in this population.

To explore how participation in ABR supports older adults living with HIV in terms of empowerment, self-expression, and social connection.

A participatory qualitative study was conducted with adults aged 50+ living with HIV. Participants engaged in creative workshops incorporating word mapping, visual arts, and storytelling. Data were collected through group discussions and analysis of art work. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify key themes in participants’ experiences.

Participation in ABR fostered empowerment, self-understanding, and community connection. Four themes emerged: (1) Reclaiming narratives – challenging stereotypes of HIV and aging; (2) Creative resilience – expressing emotions and promoting healing; (3) Community and connection – reducing isolation and fostering belonging; and (4) Personal and artistic growth – skill development and therapeutic engagement. Creative expression enabled participants to communicate emotions difficult to verbalize, strengthening self-esteem and social bonds.

ABR offers a valuable approach for promoting resilience, self-expression, and collective empowerment among older adults living with HIV. Incorporating creative engagement into HIV care may enhance psychosocial well-being and community connection in this population.

Approximately 30% of older adults (≥65) fall annually, yet community delivery of evidence-based fall prevention exercise remains poorly understood. This qualitative study explores fall prevention exercise service delivery from the perspective of exercise providers in Ontario.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 exercise providers, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, and analyzed data thematically.

While providers valued evidence-based balance and functional training, those in large-group settings struggled with exercise tailoring and progression. Instead, many prioritized building trust, creating safe environments, and facilitating socialization.

kinesiologists lacked resources, independent providers lacked networking, and municipal/non-profit staff faced low pay and organizational competition.

To enhance implementation of fall prevention exercise services, support must address unique contextual barriers while balancing clinical tailoring with participant adherence. Our insights suggest that leveraging existing community services and focusing on provider-specific supports are essential for effective implementation of fall prevention exercise services in Ontario.

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in hospitalized older people and challenge acute care delivery.

This study sought to identify available quality indicators (QIs) for BPSD, establish priorities, and explore perceived facilitators and barriers to their use.

We conducted a cross-sectional electronic survey among physicians, nurses, and administrators in Quebec acute care hospitals (January–February 2025). The survey included open-ended questions analysed using Donabedian’s structure–process–outcome model.

Fifty-five respondents generated 677 responses, yielding 59 themes, 44 deemed priorities. Key QIs included delirium screening, restraint and antipsychotic use, length of stay, adverse events, and resource availability. Participants emphasized the need for standardized, clinically meaningful QIs. Reported barriers included staffing shortages, fragmented technological systems, and limited institutional prioritization, while facilitators included leadership commitment, interdisciplinary support, and structured training.

Embedding standardized QIs into electronic health records may enhance benchmarking, guide improvement, and promote safer dementia care.