Professor participates in study on older immigrants' social isolation

Dr. Bharati Sethi, Associate Professor of the School of Social Work, is a researcher on a Partnership Grant funded program of research, Inclusive Communities for Older Immigrants (ICOI): Developing multi-level, multi-component interventions to reduce social isolation and promote connectedness among older immigrants in Canada, led by Dr. Sepali Guruge, Professor and Research Chair in Urban Health at Ryerson University. The project will receive $2.5 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Dr. Guruge explained that this program of research will involve more than 80 academic and community partners in Canada and overseas, and builds on previous research (www.ImmigrantHealthResearch.ca).

Dr. Sethi, as the site lead for London, Ontario, will utilize Community-based Participatory Research to explore the lived experiences of Middle Eastern and Visible Minority (South Asian) older immigrants. The London advisory committee members will be engaged and consulted throughout the research from making decisions about data collection, data analysis, and dissemination of the findings.

“Such meaningful collaboration between academic and community organizations (or knowledge users) is critical to developing strategies and evidence-based interventions that promote social connectedness for older immigrants within the London community,” says Dr. Sethi. This study will also provide opportunities for King’s University College students to gain experience in research.

“Students engaged in the project will benefit directly from the new knowledge gained from the project related to community and organizational relationships, multi-disciplinary collaboration, networking, contributing to journal articles, and research/policy briefs.  In addition to enhancing students' research (such as analysis of findings from the gatherings) and theoretical skills--invaluable during the graduate study--the research team will support their participation in the dissemination of the key findings emerging from the outreach activities beyond the project time-frame,” says Dr. Sethi.

Dr. Mohammed Baobaid from the London Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration will serve as a member of the Provincial Advisory Committee. Other advisory committee members include: Rifat Hussein and Naj Mankal - Islamic Centre of Southwest London;  Jennifer Sandu - London Cross Cultural Learner Centre (CCLC); Michelle Dellamora - City of London; and Helene Anne Berman -Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion (CRHESI).

“Dr. Sethi is an exemplary scholar. Her productivity is simply remarkable and she is able to build collaborations with both academics and community partners. But what impresses me most about Dr. Sethi is her deep commitment to engage in meaningful research that offers evidence-based recommendations for policy makers to improve the well-being of immigrants and  refugees in our community,” says Dr. Laura Melnyk Gribble, Acting Vice-Principal and Academic Dean.

For more information on King’s School of Social Work, please visit https://socialwork.kings.uwo.ca/.