[Report] Raising the Profile of the CBSS in B.C. - Literature Review

It is estimated that by the year 2038, approximately one quarter of people living in Canada will be seniors and the majority of these seniors want to “age in place”, in their own homes and communities. This aging population will have huge implications on many aspects of Canadian society. The community-based seniors’ services sector (see adjacent for detailed definition of the sector) plays a critical role in supporting seniors by providing a broad range of low-barrier and low-cost services that support seniors to remain physically active, be socially engaged, build resilience and be as healthy and independent as possible. As part of their work, the community-based seniors’ services sector provides a broad range of health promotion and prevention programs and services. Raising the Profile of the Community-Based Seniors’ Services Sector in B.C.: A Review of the Literature provides evidence showing that a greater emphasis on this type of health promotion and prevention programming results in significant improvements in seniors’ health, and reductions in healthcare system use and costs. This research shows how investment in the community-based seniors’ sector makes sense, both economically and in terms of supporting people to live positive and healthy lives. In exploring this research, this report focuses on:

• The policy context for understanding communitybased seniors’ services in B.C., including its relationships to the healthcare system and different levels of government

• Frameworks for understanding how community based seniors’ services benefit seniors

• A summary of the literature on the role of community-based seniors’ services

• The link between health outcomes and nutrition, physical activity, and social support

• Considerations for designing effective interventions to promote seniors’ health and resilience

See the full report attached as a PDF to this post