Over the past several months, Beverly Michel Baluyot has spent more time than she ever imagined focused on people several times her age.

The Bachelor of Social Work student says that while she always thought she would use her social work education to support youth, that changed during the pandemic when she had the chance to volunteer in positions that had her interacting with older adults. So when Dr. Anna Azulai, Dr. Hongmei Tong and Alison Pitcher were seeking research assistants to help with their research study to look at social care strategies for older adults living in residential care facilities during COVID-19, Baluyot jumped at the chance. 

In the months since Baluyot has spent hundreds of hours contributing to a systematic literature review – a rigorous knowledge synthesis research method – that looks at studies about social isolation. After whittling down a collection of roughly 85,000 research studies, she is now beginning the process of helping faculty members with analysis.

“I love research because I want to know how things work and why they are the way they are,” says Baluyot, who will reflect on her experience as a research assistant as part of the university’s Student Research Day on April 21.  

While Baluyot’s presentation will include an update on the research team’s progress, the work is far from done.

Now that the process of screening articles for the study is nearing completion, the team will shift focus over the next several months to closely examine the studies that remain. “I’m really excited to start reading and learning more about what happened in long-term care during the pandemic.”

It’s all part of building a bank of knowledge and experience related to working with older adults, says Balyuot. She adds that working in palliative care during her Winter term practicum was another opportunity to do just that. 

“I learned so much working and visiting with residents, providing psychosocial and spiritual support,” she says. “Not only was it enlightening, but spending time with older adults who are receiving care helped me to see how the research we are doing can relate to the real world.”

As all of Balyuot’s experiences intertwine, she’s seeing a shift in her original plans for her social work career. 

“I think I was originally more interested in working with youth, at least partly because I was a bit scared or intimidated about working with older people,” she says. “But spending time listening as older palliative care patients shared their stories and memories has shown me how vulnerable they can be and the healing that can come through sharing. That realization changed me and made me realize that I have something to offer them.”