Background
Across the province, long-term care (LTC) and retirement homes are struggling to meet staffing needs. A shortage of skilled workers is making it increasingly difficult for LTC homes to meet legislative requirements and continue to deliver quality care and services to their residents.
Canada’s rapidly aging population complicates this issue, as LTC homes must attract and recruit additional team members to prepare for the expected increase in residents. There is a lack of awareness about the opportunities that exist in LTC, which can make it difficult to generate interest in these careers. Other influential factors include ageism and negative perceptions of LTC.
Creating opportunities for students to learn about the many career opportunities that exist within LTC and retirement homes will contribute to the continued growth of this workforce. Ontario secondary schools offer co-operative education (co-op) and volunteer opportunities, and schools are regularly seeking meaningful positions for their students.
By forming structured partnerships, secondary schools and LTC operators can work together to:
- offer students a variety of experiential learning opportunities based on their skills and interests;
- help students engage in career planning at an earlier stage;
- promote LTC as a viable career destination; and
- use students’ positive experiences to reduce negative perceptions and combat ageism.
About the Event
The Intergenerational Partnerships Think Tank took place on November 2, 2018 at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA). Supported by the Ontario CLRI at the RIA and the Jobson Family Foundation, this event brought together 38 stakeholders to discuss the benefits of intergenerational partnerships. The results will inform the development of a free and easy-to-use toolkit to support long-term care (LTC) and retirement homes and secondary schools in building partnerships and implementing successful student placements.
Presentations
Participants
Think Tank participants included educators, career counsellors, students, researchers, senior leaders from LTC and retirement homes, LTC team members and residents, government representatives, and community groups.
In the morning, individuals from differing stakeholder groups were seated together and given structured discussion questions. They were invited to consider and share their unique perspectives on how to implement and sustain formal intergenerational partnerships between LTC and retirement homes and secondary schools, including co-op placement opportunities.
For the second half of the day, participants were seated with individuals from similar stakeholder groups. Through structured discussion, they outlined the types of information and resources they would need to in order to participate in an intergenerational partnership.
By thinking together about what is needed to make these partnerships successful, the group developed definitions of success and brainstormed ways that these partnerships can best be sustained over time.
Results
While each stakeholder group provided specific and actionable feedback for each discussion topic, many common themes also emerged.
Benefits of intergenerational partnerships
For LTC & retirement home operators:
- Improves workforce capacity and development
For LTC & retirement home residents:
- Empowers and energizes
For secondary school students:
- Creates opportunities for skill-building, career exploration, and personal development
Obstacles to be addressed
For LTC & retirement home operators:
- Workload dynamics
- Lack of resources
- Complex needs of residents
For secondary schools, students, and parents:
- Co-op application process
- Career perceptions
- Focus of upper-year students
Supports needed for success
For LTC & retirement home operators:
- Hire the right people
For government:
- Internal collaboration
- Collaboration with schools, students, and LTC & retirement homes
Common themes
- Intergenerational partnerships enhance life for individuals and LTC and retirement communities.
- Supports required to build a strong partnership include: dedicated funding, help raising awareness, commitment to the partnership, a practical process to follow, knowledge from other successful partnerships, promotion and recognition of the partnership, and inclusive engagement of all stakeholders, including the local community.
- Obstacles which must be addressed in order to build a strong partnership include: workforce migration, uncertain funding and resources, unclear first steps, legislation and bureaucracy, and transportation issues.