About Us
The Centre for Care Access and Equity Research (CCAER), is a vibrant and diverse research team affiliated with prestigious institutions such as the University of Ottawa, Bruyère Research Institute, the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and Horizon Health Network. Our mission is to advance equitable access to culturally informed health and social care for older adults, while challenging the deep-seated social, structural, and systemic inequities that disproportionately affect underserved communities.
Our Mission
At CCAER, we are committed to dismantling barriers and improving the lives of older adults, with a special focus on those from equity deserving groups. Our guiding principles are grounded in intersectionality, health equity, organizational management, and feminist political economy theoretical frameworks. We specialize in conducting cutting-edge research through mixed methods studies, which seamlessly integrate qualitative methods with big data analytics.
Our Motto
“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”
– Dr. Seuss
Our Strengths
- Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives to co-create innovative solutions to address interconnected equity, sustainability, and health challenges.
- Developing and sustaining meaningful partnerships with older adults, family caregivers, care providers, community groups, and policy makers.
- Integrating teaching, research, and transformative action.
- Thinking critically about, and moving beyond, dominant ways of thinking, knowing, and doing.
- Engaging with intersectionality, health equity, and social justice approaches to research and collective action.
- Weaving iterative processes, community-based research practices, and integrated knowledge mobilization throughout our projects.
Our Work
Our research efforts are channeled into four key portfolios, each designed to advance the cause of equitable access to care for older adults in unique ways. Our overarching goal is to translate knowledge into transformative action, ensuring that older adults, including those from historically marginalized groups, can age well in the right place at the right time.
As you explore our website further, you’ll find detailed information about our ongoing projects, research findings, and the tangible impact we’re making in the field of care access and equity. We invite you to join us on this journey as we strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of older adults and the communities we serve. Together, we can create a future where equitable care is not just an ideal but a reality.
Community-Centered Approach
What sets us apart is our unwavering dedication to community-based research approaches. We believe in the power of collaboration and inclusivity. Our integrated knowledge mobilization strategy ensures that our community partners are actively engaged throughout the research process, from inception to implementation. We firmly believe that the voices of those we serve must be at the forefront of our work.
Funding Partners
Our impactful work is made possible through the generous support of various funding partners. We would like to extend our gratitude to Health Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation at Baycrest, the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF), l’Association Médicale Universitaire Montfort, and the University of Ottawa for their unwavering support in our pursuit of creating a more equitable and inclusive healthcare landscape.
Moving Knowledge into Action
Active involvement in our community is important to us. In partnership with the not-for-profit organization, the Ottawa Valley Food Security Project, we are helping to build local capacity to grow and share healthy food as part of working together toward food sovereignty. Community collaborations for both research and transformative change are a huge part of what we do.