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Six research initiatives involving the University of New Brunswick have received funding from the provincial government as part of the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project, aimed at fostering healthy aging in New Brunswick.

In total, $22.6 million in funding will go towards the 26 different research projects, it was announced on April 6.

The pilot project is a $75-million federal-provincial agreement jointly led by the departments of Social Development and Health through the Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat. The main objectives are to learn through research how to foster healthy aging, increase independence and quality of life, ensure seniors are enabled to live safely and securely in their homes with appropriate support and care, and to disseminate best practices.

“These research projects are important for our province and our country,” said Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch. “Because New Brunswick has one of the highest percentage of seniors in the country, our province is an ideal environment in which to study the needs of seniors and to research the best ways we can help them stay healthy, either in their own homes or in care facilities.”

The six projects involving UNB researchers are:

• “Addressing determinants of senior well-being and reducing social isolation,” with the New Brunswick Community College

• “Care-services navigation & care-skills development program for informal caregivers of seniors and seniors aging in place in New Brunswick,” with the New Brunswick Community College

• “CHARM Study - Coordinating transitions from hospital for older adults with fractures: An interventional mixed methods study,” with Horizon Health Network and TraumaNB

• “Identification of Risk and Development of an Evidenced-Informed Strategy for the Safe Reintegration of Families into Long-term Care Homes”

• “Lifting Frailty in New Brunswick”

• “Piloting patient navigation for people with dementia, their caregivers, and members of the care team,” with Horizon Health Network and St. Thomas University

“Congratulations to the many UNB researchers involved in the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project who are working to improve the quality of life for aging people in our country,” says Dr. David MaGee, UNB’s vice-president research. “These initiatives will result in a better understanding of the challenges that come with aging and allow seniors to live safely and securely, no matter their circumstances.”

“Seniors want to live in their communities, and as a government, we are taking action to foster healthy aging to support seniors to stay longer in their own homes,” said federal Minister of Seniors Kamal Khera. “The Healthy Seniors Pilot Project will help us understand the unique challenges faced by seniors while increasing their independence and quality of life and ensure seniors are enabled to live safely and securely in their homes with appropriate supports and care.”

This is the third and final series of projects to receive funding under the pilot project. Previous rounds in 2018 and 2020 involved an investment of $49.9 million towards 40 applied research projects. Funding is allocated to cover project costs as well as costs associated with research teams, technical resources, and the evaluation process.

Project proposals undergo an impartial, comprehensive review process as well as an outcome evaluation conducted by the Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Transfer Unit established in partnership with the New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training at UNB. This unit will ensure that each project has an evaluation plan and that lessons learned from the completed projects are shared across the country.

Media contacts

• Kelsey Pye, University of New Brunswick, k.pye@unb.ca 
• Rebecca Howland, Department of Social Development, rebecca.howland@gnb.ca 
• Jasmeen Shergill, Office of the Minister of Seniors, jasmeen.shergill@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca