Examining social inclusion, health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

Enhancing the social inclusion of older adults had become a policy priority in Canada and elsewhere before the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has been allocating funding to community organizations for projects focusing on enhancing the social inclusion of older adults. With the pandemic, and mandated physical distancing, people’s ability to be socially connected has been severely restricted. The general purpose of the present study is to characterize how older adults in one Canadian city, Winnipeg, fared in terms of social inclusion, health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how social inclusion, health and well-being have changed as compared to before the pandemic. In doing so, the project is designed to identify needs and gaps, which may help support the work of community organizations, as they try to assist older adults during these difficult times.