Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health│Coalition canadienne pour la santé mentale des aînés

On the latest episode of our podcast, Stronger Together Supporting Social Health in Aging, Sue Vovchuk joins host Peter Snow to discuss addressing social isolation and loneliness in long term care. Sue has dedicated more than 30 years of her career to working with older adults across Manitoba, serving in both frontline and leadership positions. Her experience spans the continuum of housing, services and care, including Manitoba Housing, Home Care, Supportive Housing, Personal Care Homes and Assisted Living. Throughout her career, Sue has developed an in-depth understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing older adults in Manitoba, their families, service providers and communities. She has built strong relationships with all levels of government, Manitoba’s health authorities and organizations across the older adult housing and continuing care sectors. As Executive Director of the Long Term & Continuing Care Association of Manitoba (LTCAM), Sue is passionate about building partnerships and advancing innovative approaches that enhance housing, services, supports and care for older adults in Manitoba. She is committed to ensuring that older adults have meaningful choices and opportunities to remain connected to their communities as they age. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/e_xfKMx7

Want to learn more about addressing social isolation and loneliness in older adults? From June 1-5, 2026 you can take part in an asynchronous learning module on loneliness as part of the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry's Geriatric Psychiatry Online Course. Join Dr. David Conn, lead investigator of the Canadian Clinical Guidelines on Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older adults to deepen your understanding of assessment and treatment.

Jen, fondatrice d’un programme en Ontario, raconte comment elle a aidé une cliente à surmonter la solitude et l’isolement. Jen a rencontré une femme qui, après avoir perdu son mari, avait l’impression que son monde se limitait maintenant aux quatre murs de son appartement. La femme s’est inscrite au cours de danse virtuel de Jen, d’abord sans allumer sa caméra, simplement pour observer. Plutôt que de demander aux gens de rejoindre une communauté, Jen crée ce qu’elle appelle des « portes d’entrée simples d’accès, avec sentiment d’appartenance intégré ». Une activité. Un visage familier. Une connexion qui se développe naturellement. La cliente a commencé à participer régulièrement aux cours, à allumer sa caméra et à saluer les personnes qu’elle reconnaissait. De petits progrès physiques l’ont aidée à reprendre confiance en elle, ce qui lui a permis de créer des liens sociaux et de retrouver une motivation au quotidien. « Il suffit parfois d’une seule occasion pour revenir vers les autres », dit Jen. Consultez nos autres publications pour découvrir comment les professionnels de soins font une différence dans la santé sociale des personnes aînées. Visitez https://lnkd.in/enggtmvZ pour découvrir des outils et des ressources. #EffetdEntraînement

Laurie, a Québec community organization worker, shows how one caring act can spark a wider wave of connection. Laurie had reached out to a long-time program participant, a woman she sensed wasn’t quite her usual self. Something in their phone conversation nudged her to check in since she hadn’t seen her for some time. Laurie then discovered the real tension: the woman didn’t want to offend by not attending a community event, so she withdrew from everything. Listening without hurry became the turning point. “All she needed was space to be heard,” says Laurie. By the end of the visit, the woman’s shoulders had softened, her voice steadier. She realized she could choose what mattered most to her, that her choice would be respected. Look for more posts here about how clinicians are making a difference to the social health of older people in their practice. Visit https://lnkd.in/euRjmAS8 to discover tools and supports. #TheRippleEffect

Laurie, intervenante communautaire au Québec, illustre comment un geste attentionné peut déclencher une vague de sympathie. Laurie a contacté une participante de longue date à son programme, une femme qui lui semblait différente qu’à l’habitude. Quelque chose d’étrange dans leur discussion l’a incitée à aller lui rendre visite, puisqu’elle ne l’avait pas vue depuis un moment. Sur place, Laurie a compris la véritable source de malaise : ne voulant pas offenser les gens en n’assistant pas à certains événements communautaires, la femme s’était retirée de tout. À ce moment, ce qui comptait le plus était de prendre le temps d’écouter, sans se presser. « Tout ce dont elle avait besoin, c’était d’un espace pour être entendue. », dit Laurie. À la fin de la visite, la femme était plus détendue, sa voix était plus assurée. Elle a réalisé qu’elle pouvait choisir ce qui comptait pour elle, et que son choix serait respecté. Consultez nos autres publications pour découvrir comment les professionnels de soins font une différence dans la santé sociale des personnes aînées. Visitez https://lnkd.in/evhYAvMq pour découvrir des outils et des ressources. #EffetdEntraînement

Jen is a program founder in Ontario who shares how she helped navigate loneliness and isolation for one of her clients. Jen connected with a woman who had lost her husband and felt her world had shrunk to the walls of her apartment. She joined Jen’s online dance class, camera off at first, just observing. Rather than asking people to join a community, Jen designs what she calls “low-barrier entry points with built-in belonging.” One activity. One familiar face. Connection that grows naturally. Her client began attending classes regularly, turning her camera on, and waving to people she recognized. Small physical gains helped her regain confidence, and that confidence opened the door to social connection and purpose. “All it takes is one doorway back in,” says Jen. Look for more posts here about how clinicians are making a difference to the social health of older people in their practice. Visit https://lnkd.in/eVVRkfwA to discover tools and supports. #TheRippleEffect