By Melissa Lanyon
Mount Waddington region seniors and elders are part of a three-year, $1.3 million project looking at how to help provide health care close to home in remote communities.
The three-year “Thriving in Community” project, supported by funding awarded by Health Research BC to Island Health, aims to test a model for better coordination among local care providers. The public research grant is specifically to fund an administrative and evaluation team looking at how best to provide services, rather than direct medical or home care services.
Research To Assist Frontline Care
Island Health spokesperson Andrew Leyne confirmed the $1.3 million is evaluative and “not implementation.”
The funding supports an academic and operational team—co-led by Dr. Amy Salmon (UBC) and Ian Wood (Island Health)—to map agency workflows and build referral protocols between health staff, Community Paramedicine, and non-profits like the North Island Crisis and Counselling Centre Society.
“Seniors and elders in our rural communities often face barriers that can turn small issues into health emergencies,” said Wood. “This project will help us reach people earlier, coordinate their care more effectively, and provide the supports they need to remain in the homes and communities where they want to be.”
Philanthropy Covers Direct Care
Because the $1.3 million public research grant is not earmarked for direct client aid, the hands-on services connected to the project rely on philanthropic support.
An additional $500,000 pledged by the Conconi Family Foundation and an anonymous donor will directly fund frontline support, including “friendly visitor” positions to combat social isolation and flexible emergency aid for practical needs like transportation.
A Blueprint for Rural B.C.?
Researchers will track whether better coordination lowers emergency room visits and delays long-term care admissions across Mount Waddington, where seniors make up over 21 per cent of the population—and up to 27 per cent in areas like Electoral Area D. The outcomes from the evaluation will be used to determine whether this new approach can or should be scaled to other smaller communities in BC.
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