Research and Innovations Homepage
UNB Long Term Care Simulation Lab
The UNB Long Term Care Simulation lab is a realistic research space intended to mimic the environment of a resident’s room in a long term care setting. This lab is intended to conduct realistic research in a long term care setting that can be translated into best practices in nursing homes, special care homes, and even homecare settings. The lab is modeled after a 2-bed nursing home suite, using Loch Lomond Villa’s rooms as a model and uses life-like simulation mannikins to simulate the clinical experiences of a long term care resident. This lab was developed by Dr. Rose McCloskey and a team of dedicated researchers, including Dr. Karen Furlong, Dr. Chola Shamputa, and Dr. Lynn Nagle and is a partnership between UNB and Loch Lomond Villa. This project was funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation, the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, the Province of New Brunswick, and BIRD Construction. This lab officially opened on July 9th, 2021. The research team currently has ongoing research through the lab, but it is also available for other researchers to use or for educational purposes. To learn more about how you can access the lab for your own research or education programs, please contact Dr. Rose McCloskey at SimLab@UNB.ca.
The simulation lab has been in the media! Check out these articles about the UNB Long Term Care Simulation Lab from UNB, CTV, Global TV, CBC, CHSJ News, and the Telegraph Journal.
NB HEARS
The New Brunswick HEARS (Hearing Equality through Accessible Research and Solutions) research project involves the use of technology and behavioral training for the aging population. It is a collaboration between Loch Lomond Villa, Baycrest, the Hearing Foundation of Canada, and Johns Hopkins University. NB HEARS is funded through the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project grants provided by the federal government. The use of hearing amplification devices aims to provide better quality communication and are designed to address the concern of untreated hearing loss among older adults. This research aims to determine what the impact of both technological and behavioral interventions can have on individuals over the age of 60s physical health and social well-being. We anticipate that this will result in improved communication, social engagement, and health-related quality of life for those participating in the project.
NB HEARS in the news: If you are interested in hearing about NB HEARS in the news, check out these articles! Click HERE to read about HEARS in the Telegraph Journal, or HERE to read about HEARS on CHSJ’s news website!
Anyone interested in participating should contact Nick Lignos at NLignos@LochLomondVilla.com or 506 643 7175 EXT 6914.
Navigating the Patchwork
Navigating the Patchwork, a personable navigation service that will help navigate older adults living in the Saint John Community towards accessible and available community services. This project is funded through the New Horizons for Seniors Program. This service will be accessible out of the Loch Lomond Villa Wellness Center, a community-based center offering services to older adults living independently. Interested participants needing help navigating towards available community services will work 1-on-1 with a volunteer mentor. Volunteer mentors will be older adults who have previously themselves navigated different services and know the ins and outs of the different services available for older adults in the Saint John community. Participating individuals can expect to receive support from someone with similar lived experiences, and who has previous expertise navigating the system. Providing opportunities for older adults looking to gain knowledge to access, and attain services pertaining to social, recreational, health, mental health and governmental are essential, and these services are essential now for older adults, more than ever.
For more information, you can reach out to Derek by phone: 506-643-7175 ext. 6913 or by email at DGauthier@lochlomondvilla.com
LLVConnects
The LLV Connects program will work to reduce feelings of social isolation for older adults living in the community by providing an opportunity to connect with others by exchanging letters, phone calls, and virtual visits. LLV Connects is funded by the City of Saint John Community Grants Funding Program. Participants will be paired up with volunteers who share similar interests and hobbies to create some meaningful connections in the face of the pandemic, which may have limited their social activities.
This research aims to provide social support to older adults living in Saint John who may be more susceptible to feelings of loneliness and social isolation because of the pandemic, foster intergenerational community connections, and increase visibility of the unique challenges older adults face amidst a global pandemic.
Anyone interested in learning more about the program can contact Victoria at:
HighRiseRecreation@lochlomondvilla.com
Radiography on Wheels
Radiography on Wheels is a pilot research project that offers mobile x-ray services to Nursing Homes and Special Care Homes at participating sites in Saint John and surrounding areas. The project is a collaboration between Loch Lomond Villa and the University of New Brunswick (Saint John). Radiography on Wheels is funded through the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project grans provided by the federal government. The project aims to increase access to diagnostic services in New Brunswick Nursing Homes and Special Care Homes. We anticipate that the service will avoid unnecessary resident transfer to the hospital and enhance person-centered care.
Care Assistant Project
Loch Lomond Villa, in partnership with the New Brunswick Union (NBU) and New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes (NBANH), piloted a new project entitled, “The Introduction of Non-Clinical Support Role for Care Staff in Nursing Homes”, referred to as the Care Assistant project. The project was funded through the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project grant.
The introduction of a non-clinical position, referred to as a Care Assistant (CA), is an affordable option to improve the quality of care for residents in nursing homes across New Brunswick. CAs are unlicensed and unregistered caregivers with no standard role or formally recognized training requirements. Generally, the role of CA is to provide, under supervision, direct and indirect resident care, including hygiene, nutrition, and social care needs. The project findings suggested that CAs enhanced the delivery of more person-centered care services to residents while reducing the non-clinical responsibility of care staff. As a result, some care staff experienced greater job satisfaction, improved working environments, and may have provided better care to meet residents’ needs more efficiently.
