The Connect!Age project has identified key challenges faced by community-based senior-serving (CBSS) organizations in addressing social isolation and loneliness among older adults. One notable challenge is that organizations often “don’t know who they don’t know,” as individuals who are already connected to services tend to stay connected, while hidden populations remain underserved. Despite established programs and communication channels, many isolated older adults remain unengaged due to barriers such as mobility issues, stigma associated with “senior” services, and language barriers. In response to these challenges, this project aims to bring together key stakeholders to better understand gaps and challenges in reaching socially isolated and “hidden” older adults who are not currently connected to existing support systems.
The project will consist of a series of two hybrid engagement meetings held from September to October 2026. The sessions will combine in-person meetings at Kennedy Seniors Recreation Centre in Delta, an existing community partner within the Connect!Age project, with virtual participation options to support accessibility and engagement across BC. The meetings will include collaborative knowledge exchange focused on exploring outreach gaps, barriers to engagement, and feasible outreach approaches.
Participants will include academic researchers from Simon Fraser University, CBSS organization staff, and PWLE (e.g., caregivers and older adults). Additional stakeholders such as health system partners (e.g., community connectors involved in social prescribing initiatives) may also participate, as they play key roles in connecting PWLE with care and community supports. Where feasible, the project will also engage organizations serving diverse cultural and community populations (e.g., immigrant and rural communities) to ensure broader inclusion across different community contexts and to support attention to diverse linguistic, cultural and community needs.
Through these collaborative and interdisciplinary discussions, the project is expected to: 1) increase shared understanding of gaps and challenges in reaching socially isolated older adults across different community contexts; 2) develop feasible trust-based outreach strategies to improve engagement and access to community supports; and 3) identify opportunities for future collaborative initiatives that support the mobilization of research evidence into community practice and health policy.
Additional team members and participating organizations:
Andrew Wister (Director, Gloria Gutman Gerontology Research Centre)
Lisa Porter (Seniors Community Services Supervisor, Kennedy Seniors Recreation Centre)
Cristal Villamor (Research Assistant, Simon Fraser University)
Elise Stone (Research Assistant, Simon Fraser University)