Faculty of Nursing doctoral student, Kaitlyn Tate, aims to reduce and improve transition from home care to long-term care for older persons
Change can be difficult for older persons to navigate, but Kaitlyn Tate is determined to make it easier.
Tate, a current doctoral student with the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta and outgoing President of the Nursing Graduate Students' Association (NGSA), is no stranger to life transitions-she's worked in various clinical fields ranging from acute psychiatry to continuing care, and even changed undergraduate programs in order to find the right fit.
"I switched from Engineering to Nursing for a number of reasons. I didn't really want to work in the oil and gas industries, which was what many (albeit, not all) of my peers were pursuing. I wanted a more social job and was always interested in health. I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life and nursing offered a range of career choices with some security of gainful employment," said Tate.
She always had a strong desire for a social job that also improved the quality of people's lives. She knew right away that she made the right choice-even though the learning curve was steep from having to study completely different content-she resonated with her ability to apply the new set of knowledge in a practical setting. After that, everything began to fall into place.
"I think I knew it was the right choice when I entered the Honors Program and was exposed to mentors who were passionate about improving lives and developing knowledge through research," explained Tate. "That really inspired me to want to do the same."
Tate's passion for making a difference is the driving factor for her current research on quality management for older persons' transitions in care, and the factors that influence the transition. This research involves working closely with the government through the lens of policy to inform where funding could go or ways to better service delivery.
"Caregiver support is something that also needs to be addressed, specifically what needs to be known about caregivers so they can be better supported through legislative changes," said Tate.
Tate is confident this research will shed light on different services and solutions that ultimately allow older persons to stay in their homes for a longer duration.