Canada is facing an opioid crisis, with more than 3,900 related deaths occurring in 2017. Almost ... more Canada is facing an opioid crisis, with more than 3,900 related deaths occurring in 2017. Almost 30% of those deaths were among seniors; older adults also have the highest rates of opioid hospitalization and poisoning. Despite these statistics, little is known about the specifics. A comprehensive scoping review following Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework was conducted to establish the magnitude of the problem, describe treatment approaches alongside prevention, and identify implications for practice, policy and research. Eight major electronic databases in medicine and the social sciences were searched alongside the grey literature, and a stakeholder consultation convened to validate results. A total of 6,814 articles, reports and thesis were identified. Forty-five sources met inclusion criteria, the majority stemming from the United States. Most were literature reviews, cohort and cross-sectional studies, with almost half also taking a gendered approach. Four predominant theme...
This debate argues that it is time that knowledge mobilisation or exchange is adopted as a perman... more This debate argues that it is time that knowledge mobilisation or exchange is adopted as a permanent part of academic, policy and practice endeavours, especially in the area of caregiving. Seven-year research on knowledge mobilisation by the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly clearly shows that knowledge mobilisation affects the behaviour of professionals to provide better service to the betterment of older adults.
Method The study employed multimethod design which included: a targeted telephone inquiry, with a... more Method The study employed multimethod design which included: a targeted telephone inquiry, with a standardized set of screening questions, of 92 GTA health and social service organizations that were expected to deal with migrant sex workers; and 3 focus groups ...
RÉSUMÉ À cause de leur caractère à la fois public et semi-privé, les politiques sociales canadien... more RÉSUMÉ À cause de leur caractère à la fois public et semi-privé, les politiques sociales canadiennes ont engendré un système dualiste de sécurité du revenu pour les retraités. Certains sont entièrement tributaires des régimes de retraite publics tandis que d'autres bénéficient à la fois de régimes publics et de régimes privés. Cette division se manifeste dans leurs conditions de vie, qui ne sont pas les mêmes suivant qu'ils travaillaient dans le secteur central ou dans le secteur périphérique de l'économie. À l'aide de données provenant de l'Enquête sur le vieillissement et l'autonomie, l'auteur étudie les effets du dualisme économique sur le revenu de retraite des hommes et des femmes de son échantillon (N = 20 036). Elle compare les retraités du centre et de la périphérie au point de vue de leurs caractéristiques socio-démographiques et de diverses caractéristiques relatives au travail, au revenu et aux dispositions prises pour la retraite. Des modèles ...
The Program for Research on the Independence and Economic Security of the Older Population is an ... more The Program for Research on the Independence and Economic Security of the Older Population is an interdisciplinary research program established at McMaster University with support from Health Canada's Seniors' Independence Research Program. The Research Paper series ...
Journal of Social Work Research and Evaluation, 2004
This article provides an overview of the health and social service issues relevant to trafficked ... more This article provides an overview of the health and social service issues relevant to trafficked women sex workers drawn from a phenomenological study that explored the transition processes of women trafficked into Canada from the former Soviet Union and Eastern and Central Europe. The study interviewed 20 female sex workers, 15 health and social service providers, and 15 key informants. The authors challenge the commonly held principle that trafficked/migrant sex workers should receive specialized services in their own language and within their own community, as the study revealed that women would prefer to use existing generic health and social services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)
Although Canadian policies support aging in place, there still will be a number of older adults w... more Although Canadian policies support aging in place, there still will be a number of older adults who will require institutional care in the future. Most research on elder abuse, however, has focused on domestic abuse and has paid less attention to institutional abuse. The purpose of this article is to comprehensively review current research to identify gaps in knowledge and methodological issues in the study of institutional abuse. Overall, 49 studies in English and 20 studies in French were reviewed, and 11 key-informant interviews were conducted with methodological experts. Methodological challenges are addressed in light of the review and interviews.
McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., Harbison, J., Hirst, S., Lowenstein, A., Podnieks, E., & Wahl, J. (2012). Institutional abuse of older adults: what we know, what we need to know. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 24(2), 138-160.
SYNOPSIS The goal of the study was to synthesize research findings on sex trafficking of women to... more SYNOPSIS The goal of the study was to synthesize research findings on sex trafficking of women to Canada. The qualitative metasynthesis included six studies that represented the full body of published empirical research on female trafficked/migrant sex workers in ...
Although progress has been made over the last 20 years, the burden of a low income in old age is ... more Although progress has been made over the last 20 years, the burden of a low income in old age is still carried by unattached women. Few researchers, however, have examined exactly where the burden of poverty falls within the category of unattached older women or the nature of this poverty. Like any other group of older Canadians, unattached women are not a homogenous population. The category of 'unattached' includes the separated, divorced, widowed and ever single, all of whom face different circumstances in old age because of differences over the life course. Using SLID data we examine income and sources of income from 1993 to 1999 to identify differences among these groups. The findings indicate that the separated and divorced are the poorest of all older unattached women in Canada. A key source of the difference is the growth in private pension incomes.
Isolation has been flagged as a major health and social problem for seniors. Yet, many seniors th... more Isolation has been flagged as a major health and social problem for seniors. Yet, many seniors themselves, their friends/family, and carers for seniors may not recognize risk factors for isolation or know what to do if a senior is isolated. Results from the 2016 General Social Survey noted that 27% of seniors reported they were not socially connected with others, with 20% reporting that they lacked support to carry out chores, and 17% reported feeling isolated. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive review of the evidence to suggest what has emerged as best practices and key policy enablers. To address this, seniors and other key stakeholders (n=200) in the community were interviewed on their perspectives and experiences of social isolation. Additionally, three focus groups (n=24) were conducted, along with a consensus meeting, to identify top priorities, best practices and develop implementation strategies. The priority areas identified were: 1) opportunities for seniors to n...
Older adults prefer to live in their own homes for as long as possible — to ‘age in place’ — but ... more Older adults prefer to live in their own homes for as long as possible — to ‘age in place’ — but for myriad reasons may be unable to do so. To address this, a number of housing alternatives have been explored, including homesharing, or homeshare, an exchange-based shared housing approach with the potential to empower older adults to age in place by enabling them to obtain additional income, companionship, and assistance with completing household tasks in exchange for renting out a room in their home. An intergenerational homesharing pilot program was launched in Toronto, matching older adults (55+) with postsecondary students. With limited research in the area, a mixed methods research study was embedded within the pilot project with the goals of: 1) conducting a scoping review to map and synthesize the literature related to outcomes of homeshare participation for this population, 2) conducting in-depth interviews with homeshare participants (N=22) to learn about their experiences, ...
This article reports on the most recent prevalence investigation of elder mistreatment in Canada ... more This article reports on the most recent prevalence investigation of elder mistreatment in Canada from the National Survey on the Mistreatment of Older Canadians, 2015 (McDonald, 2016). A rigorous p...
Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) processes can facilitate evidence-informed community-based ... more Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) processes can facilitate evidence-informed community-based care for seniors, but understanding effective KTE in gerontology is limited. A scoping review was conducted to evaluate the current state of KTE in the community-based sector for seniors. Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria, which addressed a broad variety of topics including caregiving, elder abuse, falls prevention, home-rehabilitation, hospice and dementia care. Studies evaluated KTE practices (n = 8), developed a KTE intervention (n = 3), or explored research uptake (n = 1). Community-based initiatives for seniors informed by KTE processes are scarce, requiring further efforts at the research, practice and policy levels.
Abstract: A decline in the number of entry-level workers, coupled with a reduction in labour forc... more Abstract: A decline in the number of entry-level workers, coupled with a reduction in labour force participation rates, foretells a significant shortage of workers in the near future in Canada. Can and will older workers fill this gap? A review of the changes in the Canadian industrial and occupational structures in light of current retirement patterns suggests a tentative yes to the question. Highly skilled older workers found in managerial/professional and technical occupations may well fill the bill if they can be enticed to remain in the labour force. Abstract: Le déclin du nombre d’ouvriers sans formation, joint à la baisse du taux de participation de la main-d’œuvre, laisse prévoir dans le proche avenir un manque important d’ouvriers au Canada. Les ouvriers plus âgés peuvent-ils boucher ce trou et veulent-ils le boucher? Une revue des modifications des structures de l’industrie et des occupations du Canada devant le profil des retraites actuelles révèle la possibilité d’une réponse affirmative à la question. Il se peut que des employés plus âgés aux niveaux direction/professionnel et technique puissent bien faire l’affaire si l’on réussit à les persuader de rester dans la main-d’œuvre.
Canada is facing an opioid crisis, with more than 3,900 related deaths occurring in 2017. Almost ... more Canada is facing an opioid crisis, with more than 3,900 related deaths occurring in 2017. Almost 30% of those deaths were among seniors; older adults also have the highest rates of opioid hospitalization and poisoning. Despite these statistics, little is known about the specifics. A comprehensive scoping review following Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework was conducted to establish the magnitude of the problem, describe treatment approaches alongside prevention, and identify implications for practice, policy and research. Eight major electronic databases in medicine and the social sciences were searched alongside the grey literature, and a stakeholder consultation convened to validate results. A total of 6,814 articles, reports and thesis were identified. Forty-five sources met inclusion criteria, the majority stemming from the United States. Most were literature reviews, cohort and cross-sectional studies, with almost half also taking a gendered approach. Four predominant theme...
This debate argues that it is time that knowledge mobilisation or exchange is adopted as a perman... more This debate argues that it is time that knowledge mobilisation or exchange is adopted as a permanent part of academic, policy and practice endeavours, especially in the area of caregiving. Seven-year research on knowledge mobilisation by the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly clearly shows that knowledge mobilisation affects the behaviour of professionals to provide better service to the betterment of older adults.
Method The study employed multimethod design which included: a targeted telephone inquiry, with a... more Method The study employed multimethod design which included: a targeted telephone inquiry, with a standardized set of screening questions, of 92 GTA health and social service organizations that were expected to deal with migrant sex workers; and 3 focus groups ...
RÉSUMÉ À cause de leur caractère à la fois public et semi-privé, les politiques sociales canadien... more RÉSUMÉ À cause de leur caractère à la fois public et semi-privé, les politiques sociales canadiennes ont engendré un système dualiste de sécurité du revenu pour les retraités. Certains sont entièrement tributaires des régimes de retraite publics tandis que d'autres bénéficient à la fois de régimes publics et de régimes privés. Cette division se manifeste dans leurs conditions de vie, qui ne sont pas les mêmes suivant qu'ils travaillaient dans le secteur central ou dans le secteur périphérique de l'économie. À l'aide de données provenant de l'Enquête sur le vieillissement et l'autonomie, l'auteur étudie les effets du dualisme économique sur le revenu de retraite des hommes et des femmes de son échantillon (N = 20 036). Elle compare les retraités du centre et de la périphérie au point de vue de leurs caractéristiques socio-démographiques et de diverses caractéristiques relatives au travail, au revenu et aux dispositions prises pour la retraite. Des modèles ...
The Program for Research on the Independence and Economic Security of the Older Population is an ... more The Program for Research on the Independence and Economic Security of the Older Population is an interdisciplinary research program established at McMaster University with support from Health Canada's Seniors' Independence Research Program. The Research Paper series ...
Journal of Social Work Research and Evaluation, 2004
This article provides an overview of the health and social service issues relevant to trafficked ... more This article provides an overview of the health and social service issues relevant to trafficked women sex workers drawn from a phenomenological study that explored the transition processes of women trafficked into Canada from the former Soviet Union and Eastern and Central Europe. The study interviewed 20 female sex workers, 15 health and social service providers, and 15 key informants. The authors challenge the commonly held principle that trafficked/migrant sex workers should receive specialized services in their own language and within their own community, as the study revealed that women would prefer to use existing generic health and social services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)
Although Canadian policies support aging in place, there still will be a number of older adults w... more Although Canadian policies support aging in place, there still will be a number of older adults who will require institutional care in the future. Most research on elder abuse, however, has focused on domestic abuse and has paid less attention to institutional abuse. The purpose of this article is to comprehensively review current research to identify gaps in knowledge and methodological issues in the study of institutional abuse. Overall, 49 studies in English and 20 studies in French were reviewed, and 11 key-informant interviews were conducted with methodological experts. Methodological challenges are addressed in light of the review and interviews.
McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., Harbison, J., Hirst, S., Lowenstein, A., Podnieks, E., & Wahl, J. (2012). Institutional abuse of older adults: what we know, what we need to know. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 24(2), 138-160.
SYNOPSIS The goal of the study was to synthesize research findings on sex trafficking of women to... more SYNOPSIS The goal of the study was to synthesize research findings on sex trafficking of women to Canada. The qualitative metasynthesis included six studies that represented the full body of published empirical research on female trafficked/migrant sex workers in ...
Although progress has been made over the last 20 years, the burden of a low income in old age is ... more Although progress has been made over the last 20 years, the burden of a low income in old age is still carried by unattached women. Few researchers, however, have examined exactly where the burden of poverty falls within the category of unattached older women or the nature of this poverty. Like any other group of older Canadians, unattached women are not a homogenous population. The category of 'unattached' includes the separated, divorced, widowed and ever single, all of whom face different circumstances in old age because of differences over the life course. Using SLID data we examine income and sources of income from 1993 to 1999 to identify differences among these groups. The findings indicate that the separated and divorced are the poorest of all older unattached women in Canada. A key source of the difference is the growth in private pension incomes.
Isolation has been flagged as a major health and social problem for seniors. Yet, many seniors th... more Isolation has been flagged as a major health and social problem for seniors. Yet, many seniors themselves, their friends/family, and carers for seniors may not recognize risk factors for isolation or know what to do if a senior is isolated. Results from the 2016 General Social Survey noted that 27% of seniors reported they were not socially connected with others, with 20% reporting that they lacked support to carry out chores, and 17% reported feeling isolated. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive review of the evidence to suggest what has emerged as best practices and key policy enablers. To address this, seniors and other key stakeholders (n=200) in the community were interviewed on their perspectives and experiences of social isolation. Additionally, three focus groups (n=24) were conducted, along with a consensus meeting, to identify top priorities, best practices and develop implementation strategies. The priority areas identified were: 1) opportunities for seniors to n...
Older adults prefer to live in their own homes for as long as possible — to ‘age in place’ — but ... more Older adults prefer to live in their own homes for as long as possible — to ‘age in place’ — but for myriad reasons may be unable to do so. To address this, a number of housing alternatives have been explored, including homesharing, or homeshare, an exchange-based shared housing approach with the potential to empower older adults to age in place by enabling them to obtain additional income, companionship, and assistance with completing household tasks in exchange for renting out a room in their home. An intergenerational homesharing pilot program was launched in Toronto, matching older adults (55+) with postsecondary students. With limited research in the area, a mixed methods research study was embedded within the pilot project with the goals of: 1) conducting a scoping review to map and synthesize the literature related to outcomes of homeshare participation for this population, 2) conducting in-depth interviews with homeshare participants (N=22) to learn about their experiences, ...
This article reports on the most recent prevalence investigation of elder mistreatment in Canada ... more This article reports on the most recent prevalence investigation of elder mistreatment in Canada from the National Survey on the Mistreatment of Older Canadians, 2015 (McDonald, 2016). A rigorous p...
Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) processes can facilitate evidence-informed community-based ... more Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) processes can facilitate evidence-informed community-based care for seniors, but understanding effective KTE in gerontology is limited. A scoping review was conducted to evaluate the current state of KTE in the community-based sector for seniors. Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria, which addressed a broad variety of topics including caregiving, elder abuse, falls prevention, home-rehabilitation, hospice and dementia care. Studies evaluated KTE practices (n = 8), developed a KTE intervention (n = 3), or explored research uptake (n = 1). Community-based initiatives for seniors informed by KTE processes are scarce, requiring further efforts at the research, practice and policy levels.
Abstract: A decline in the number of entry-level workers, coupled with a reduction in labour forc... more Abstract: A decline in the number of entry-level workers, coupled with a reduction in labour force participation rates, foretells a significant shortage of workers in the near future in Canada. Can and will older workers fill this gap? A review of the changes in the Canadian industrial and occupational structures in light of current retirement patterns suggests a tentative yes to the question. Highly skilled older workers found in managerial/professional and technical occupations may well fill the bill if they can be enticed to remain in the labour force. Abstract: Le déclin du nombre d’ouvriers sans formation, joint à la baisse du taux de participation de la main-d’œuvre, laisse prévoir dans le proche avenir un manque important d’ouvriers au Canada. Les ouvriers plus âgés peuvent-ils boucher ce trou et veulent-ils le boucher? Une revue des modifications des structures de l’industrie et des occupations du Canada devant le profil des retraites actuelles révèle la possibilité d’une réponse affirmative à la question. Il se peut que des employés plus âgés aux niveaux direction/professionnel et technique puissent bien faire l’affaire si l’on réussit à les persuader de rester dans la main-d’œuvre.
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Papers by Lynn McDonald
McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., Harbison, J., Hirst, S., Lowenstein, A., Podnieks, E., & Wahl, J. (2012). Institutional abuse of older adults: what we know, what we need to know. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 24(2), 138-160.
McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., Harbison, J., Hirst, S., Lowenstein, A., Podnieks, E., & Wahl, J. (2012). Institutional abuse of older adults: what we know, what we need to know. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 24(2), 138-160.