Published on Brock University (http://www.brocku.ca)
Colleen Whyte
Research
My research focuses on leisure and its impact on the quality of life of individuals living in long-term care homes. I am interested in the meanings and experiences of community for residents living in long-term care homes, how a sense of community changes with the transition to a long-term care setting, and the role of leisure in maintaining a sense of community for residents.
To date, my research projects have examined the transition process to long-term care from the perspectives of individuals directly involved in the transition, the lasting impact of research-based drama on family members of persons living with dementia and professionals working in dementia care, the meanings of leisure from the perspectives of persons living with dementia, and the experience of community and sense of community for persons living in long-term care homes and in the disabling policies and practices that restrict experiences of community and sense of community in long-term care.
