Extendicare Gerontology Award

Understanding the potential challenges that come with our aging population, I want to improve care for the older adults through evidence informed practice. Inspired by my grandmother’s ability to manage her comorbidities while maintaining independence in the community setting, I am especially passionate about promoting the health of older adults living at home.  With these motivations, I was attracted to the hemodialysis unit where many community-dwelling older patients are managing their chronic kidney disease (CKD).  Having worked as a registered nurse in the outpatient hemodialysis unit, I gained firsthand appreciation for the complexity of their care.  That is, in addition to managing the comorbidities that often accompany CKD, healthcare providers also need to address the social challenges that affect the patients’ quality of life while providing care.

While I gained satisfaction from caring for the patient population that I am passionate about, I wanted to contribute to their wellbeing beyond frontline nursing. During my BScN degree at Ryerson University, I worked as research associates for a couple research projects where I learned to appreciate the impact of evidence informed practice.  I thus hope to address the gaps in the care of frail older adults with CKD by contributing to current research literature.  To achieve this goal, I am currently pursuing graduate studies at the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto.

I am very thankful to Extendicare and CNF for the CNF Extendicare (Gerontology) Award. Your support is instrumental in the pursuit of my career goals.