Awards Guide - General Information

General Information

This Awards Guide outlines the objectives, policies, and procedures governing the Newfoundland and Labrador Healthy Aging Research Program (NL-HARP) sponsored by the Department of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development and administered by the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research (NLCAHR). It constitutes official DHCS/NLCAHR policy and applies to all applicants and award recipients unless specifically amended or declared void by the NL-HARP Planning Committee.

This information is revised annually. Eligibility and selection criteria are explained below and should be reviewed prior to the submission of applications. All applicants should carefully read the information in the latest version of this guide before preparing applications. Because it is not possible to anticipate every contingency, situations may arise that are not addressed in the Awards Guide. Prospective applicants seeking clarification regarding these programs are urged to contact NLCAHR by telephone (709.777.6993) or e-mail tkwhite@mun.ca

About NL-HARP

In 2003, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador issued a document, Our Blueprint for the Future, that identified healthy aging as a priority for the Province. In an effort to fulfill its commitment to healthy aging, the Province established new human resource infrastructure, including the formation of a Ministerial Council on Aging and Seniors, a Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors, and the Aging and Seniors Division of the Department of Health and Community Services. Subsequently, with extensive public consultation, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador created the Provincial Healthy Aging Policy Framework (PHAPF).

The PHAPF adopts Health Canada's definition of healthy aging. This is a broad view of healthy aging that recognizes the many determinants that play a role in health status as people age:

"Aging is a lifelong process of optimizing opportunities for improving and preserving health and physical, social and mental wellness, independence, quality of life and enhancing successful life course transitions."

The vision of healthy aging for the province is:

"for individuals, families, communities and society as a whole to foster healthy aging in order to achieve optimal health and well-being."

Furthermore, the following principles are endorsed by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador:

  • Dignity
  • Independence
  • Self-fulfillment
  • Safety and security
  • Social inclusion
  • Fairness

The foregoing vision and principles form the basis of the PHAPF. The priority directions are grounded in this vision and these principles.

Six priority directions shape the structure of the PHAPF:

  • Recognition of older persons
  • Financial well-being
  • Celebrating diversity
  • Health and well-being
  • Supportive communities
  • Employment, education and research

Under the priority direction of employment, education and research, the importance of research is recognized for its ability to inform policy and support planning.

The provincial government, in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research, would like to facilitate a stronger focus on research on aging and seniors. To this end, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has committed $100,000 in the 2015-2016 fiscal year to be distributed through NLCAHR. The Newfoundland and Labrador Healthy Aging Research Program will distribute these funds in a variety of ways that will support and encourage aging research.

Priority research areas for Newfoundland and Labrador Healthy Aging Research Program, as identified by the Province, include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Caregiving, peer support and community capacity (for example, impacts of investments in community capacity building);
  • Crisis Intervention (for example, models of short term assessment and treatment units);
  • Rehabilitation (for example, effects of rehabilitation with older patients in the early stages of acute care admission); and
  • Dementia (for example, innovative approaches to care for persons living with dementia).

 

Use and Disclosure of Information Provided to NLCAHR

As part of the peer-review process, applications will be disclosed to review panels composed of experts in applied health issues. Applications may also be transmitted to external referees. All participants in these review activities are informed of their obligations with regard to the confidentiality of information entrusted to them.

The external reviews and review panel comments about a proposal will be provided only to the Principal Applicant. NLCAHR expects the Principal Applicant to share this information with Co-Applicants.

NLCAHR may publish certain details about successful grant applications, including the name of the applicant, amount awarded, title of the project and a summary of the research proposal. For student awards, the recipient's name, faculty or school, field of research and project title will be made public.

All information requested by the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research will be used solely for the administration and management of the awards program and is collected under the general authority of the Memorial University Act (RSNL 1990 Chapter 7). Questions about this collection and use of personal information may be directed to NLCAHR at (709) 777-6993.

Contact Information

Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research
95 Bonaventure Avenue, Suite 300
St. John's, NL | A1B 2X5
Fax: (709) 777-6734
Email: nlcahr@mun.ca
Website: www.nlcahr.mun.ca

For Policy Decisions and Regulations:
Dr. Stephen Bornstein, Director
Phone: (709) 777-6768
Email: sbornste@mun.ca

For Eligibility Criteria and Guidelines, Application Forms, General Inquiries, and Technical Assistance:
Tyrone White, Manager of Finance, IT, Awards & Administration
Phone: (709) 777-6993
Email: tkwhite@mun.ca