Compassionate Communities Neighbourhood Program: Cluster Randomized Trial
Compassionate Communities Neighbourhood Program: Cluster Randomized Trial
This study will evaluate a Compassionate Communities-based intervention aimed at reducing social isolation by mobilizing individuals to act on their health and social needs individually, and in collaboration with fellow members of their community. The intervention program includes facilitated building of neighbourhood networks (member benefits include access to practical help, the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships, and community mobilization), and coaching support to work on individualized goal setting and more detailed navigation support and planning.
The Compassionate Communities intervention is catalyzed by professional facilitators who visit communities with high concentrations of elderly and vulnerable residents, and recruit those who are interested in a project to identify their own health and social needs, assets and priorities; to collectively work to support each other in achieving these; and to implement a neighbourhood exchange to more easily match offers of help to people who need help. The mobilization work starts with the facilitator, who is employed by a community or social service organization, but increasingly draws on the energies of the mobilized initial participants as volunteers who conduct further community outreach in their community, attracting and mobilizing other residents, peers, and neighbouring resources in the work. Participants also plan and implement a broad range of activities identified by the residents as their priorities for neighbourhood building. Participants and their caregivers have the option of receiving more in-depth 1:1 coaching support to work on individualized goal setting, more detailed navigation support or advanced care planning following the sessions.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
mhoward@mcmaster.ca905-525-9140 ext. 28502
deborah@deborahsattler.ca416-879-2371