On this page
About the project
The MSWN team provided outreach to older adults through a multi-disciplinary, mobile team with the goal of identifying the needs and services required, providing education, and helping navigate the healthcare system. Foot care was used as a tool for engagement. Older Adults in Fredericton and the surrounding area often cannot obtain foot care from medical professionals, such as Foot Care Nurses (FCN), due to many barriers, including transportation, income, and access to health information. The MSWN team included three FCNs, three registered social workers (RSW), and one part-time Occupational Therapist (OT). 366 older adults were enrolled, including 215 women and 151 men, the majority of whom were Anglophone. The older adults enrolled were from Fredericton and the surrounding areas, including Doaktown, Nackawic, McAdam, and Chipman. 45% of the cohort lived at or below the poverty line, 53.4% lived alone, 60.1% had an education level of high school or below, 49.7% were rural and 50.3% urban, and 44% were living with a diagnosis of diabetes.
Conclusions and lessons learned
- Regular foot care by a Foot Care Nurse (FCN) is important for maintaining overall physical health, especially for older adults. Physical health is maintained through improving mobility, balance, confidence in movement, education on mobility aids, and decreasing chronic pain with connections to allied healthcare professionals (i.e., OT and physiotherapy). However, foot care is not readily accessible or affordable for older adults in New Brunswick.
- Due to constraints within the New Brunswick health system, a provincial MSWN program in selected community health centers (CHCs) could address these healthcare issues and prevent ED visits, hospital admissions, and hospital transfers to long-term care facilities.
- The multidisciplinary team approach involving an FCN and RSW is vital to successfully address the holistic needs of each older adult. A comprehensive approach can address many of the Social Determinants of Health and overcome barriers experienced by many, such as transportation, income level, and inability to access information.
Recommendations
- Use CHCs as hubs with a team dedicated to the care of older adults in the community. A mobile network of health professionals could be replicated based on the MSWN multi-disciplinary model to address older adults' physical, emotional, and mental health.
- The addition of foot care services to CHCs would require the education/certification of nurses, as foot care nursing is an advanced nursing skill and requires continued education.
- An RSW would provide mental health support, connection to resources, and assistance to navigate the arduous process of gaining help within their home.
To learn more read the complete project findings (PDF 197 KB)