Meet the Researchers of CONNECTED: Suzanne Tanoue dos Santo
CONNECTED is an international project enhancing long-term care (LTC) by addressing inequalities through innovative solutions tailored to older adults, caregivers, and staff. Our interdisciplinary team from Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, and the USA is committed to making LTC more inclusive. Though our team is full of talented, and experienced researchers, this effort is powered by our dedicated graduate students, whose roles, backgrounds, and contributions to the project know no bounds.
Welcome back to the newest CONNECTED blog series: Meet the Graduate Team of CONNECTED. Where we interview and profile the talented student researchers involved in the CONNECTED project.
In our post today, our spotlight is on Suzanne Tanoue dos Santos, a MSc Student, studying Sciences and Humanities, at the University of Sao Paulo.
Suzanne Tanoue dos Santos: A Passion for Long-Term Care
Background and Path to CONNECTED
Suzanne’s journey to the CONNECTED project is a testament to her passion for long-term care (LTC) and her diverse academic background. Initially, Suzanne pursued a career in communications and journalism, earning her first degree in 2014. However, her path took a turn towards gerontology, leading her to graduate studies at the University of Sao Paulo. She shared,
"My background is first in communications, journalism. This is my first degree. I graduated in 2014 and then I took a second. I got into the Gerontology program at the University of Sao Paulo. I graduated in 2022 and then I joined the master in gerontology."
Her interest in LTC grew during her graduate studies, where she focused on the continuum of long-term care services and aging in place programs in Sao Paulo. This academic and practical experience laid the foundation for her involvement in CONNECTED.
Exciting and Rewarding Aspects of CONNECTED
For Suzanne, the most exciting aspect of the CONNECTED project is the opportunity for international collaboration. She noted,
"The most exciting personally is to work with international collaboration. We meet every other week. We get to know other countries' contexts... it’s a great opportunity to collaborate internationally, to work with other people, so we learn a lot about how each country works."
The regular meetings offer a platform for exchanging ideas and gaining insights into the diverse approaches to LTC across different countries. This interaction not only broadens Suzanne's perspective but also enhances the collaborative spirit of the project. She highlighted the value of direct communication with experts from various regions, which deepens the understanding of each country's unique challenges and innovations in LTC.
Impact on Long-Term Care Sector
Suzanne believes that the CONNECTED project will have a profound impact on the LTC sector by fostering innovation and inclusiveness. She said,
"We don't have systematized information about how residents and staff are included in research. This is an innovation itself for research in LTC... we hope that we can see this change in the field, not only for the work itself but in research as well."
By implementing innovations in a more inclusive and standardized way, the project aims to make daily work easier for LTC staff and improve the quality of care for residents. Suzanne emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in the development and implementation of LTC innovations. By involving residents, staff, and policymakers in the process, the CONNECTED project aims to create tools that are not only innovative but also practical and beneficial for all stakeholders. This approach ensures that the solutions developed are tailored to the specific needs and contexts of the LTC environments in different countries, leading to more effective and sustainable improvements in care quality.
Conclusion
Suzanne's background, expertise, and dedication are vital to the success of the CONNECTED project. Suzanne has “been working with scoping review, systematic reviews for a while, for at least four or five years.” allowing her expertise in scoping and systematic reviews shape the CONNECTED project. Her contributions not only enhance the project's goals but also aim to bring significant improvements to the LTC sector globally.
Stay tuned for more inspiring profiles of our exceptional student researchers in upcoming posts. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the CONNECTED project, please don't hesitate to reach out. We look forward to sharing more about our journey.