Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the research projects I have been involved in from 2016-2017, and I am glad that the qualitative data our teams collected has left lasting impacts for the participants and the communities. Here are some examples:
1. “Building Trust to Facilitate Access to Dementia Care for Immigrant Older Adults” project (2016-2018): Using empowerment evaluation and framework analysis, we are working hard to bridge the trust gap between two dementia service organizations and two immigrant serving agencies. At the end of the project, these organizations are expected to have a much stronger working relationship that was previously non-existent before the research commenced. Also, the manual we produce will be our “legacy” to leave for immigrant older adults to access dementia care and services in their health region.
2. “Raising the Profile” Provincial Summit (Nov 2 & 3, 2017): This inaugural Summit brought together service providers for the elderly from across the province of British Columbia, Canada. The purpose was not to present our research findings, but rather to create networking opportunities for the representatives from these organizations to build trust that facilitates future collaborations. From the feedback we received from the delegates, this Summit was a huge success.
3. “Men on the Move” project: (2016-2018): Our research team designed a 12-14 week structured physical activity program to encourage older men to engage in regular exercise. Participants not only benefit from the program itself, but their feedback and comments also guide the modifications and future developments of the program. The program that will continue to run in the communities after the research team has left will be our “legacy” for the older men participants and the community.
4. “Jump Step” project (2016-2017): Similar to “Men on the Move,” our research team designed a 12-14 week structured physical activity program to encourage individuals with a mood disorder to engage in regular exercise as a form of “medicine.” From our observations, many of the participants have successfully formed a physical activity routine, which is essential in boosting their mood and building a structure back in their lives that might have been disrupted by the mood disorder. The research team is grateful that we have helped the participants as we fulfilled our research goals.
It is such an honour to be able to utilize qualitative data to better the lives of our participants and the communities they live in. I feel that I am gradually living up to the tag line on the main page of this research website, to truly “Unleash the Power of Qualitative Data”!
1. “Building Trust to Facilitate Access to Dementia Care for Immigrant Older Adults” project (2016-2018): Using empowerment evaluation and framework analysis, we are working hard to bridge the trust gap between two dementia service organizations and two immigrant serving agencies. At the end of the project, these organizations are expected to have a much stronger working relationship that was previously non-existent before the research commenced. Also, the manual we produce will be our “legacy” to leave for immigrant older adults to access dementia care and services in their health region.
2. “Raising the Profile” Provincial Summit (Nov 2 & 3, 2017): This inaugural Summit brought together service providers for the elderly from across the province of British Columbia, Canada. The purpose was not to present our research findings, but rather to create networking opportunities for the representatives from these organizations to build trust that facilitates future collaborations. From the feedback we received from the delegates, this Summit was a huge success.
3. “Men on the Move” project: (2016-2018): Our research team designed a 12-14 week structured physical activity program to encourage older men to engage in regular exercise. Participants not only benefit from the program itself, but their feedback and comments also guide the modifications and future developments of the program. The program that will continue to run in the communities after the research team has left will be our “legacy” for the older men participants and the community.
4. “Jump Step” project (2016-2017): Similar to “Men on the Move,” our research team designed a 12-14 week structured physical activity program to encourage individuals with a mood disorder to engage in regular exercise as a form of “medicine.” From our observations, many of the participants have successfully formed a physical activity routine, which is essential in boosting their mood and building a structure back in their lives that might have been disrupted by the mood disorder. The research team is grateful that we have helped the participants as we fulfilled our research goals.
It is such an honour to be able to utilize qualitative data to better the lives of our participants and the communities they live in. I feel that I am gradually living up to the tag line on the main page of this research website, to truly “Unleash the Power of Qualitative Data”!
