Characterising the role and scope of Community Connectors for Older Adults Internationally: A Scoping Review Protocol

Background As global populations age, there is an increasing need for community-based approaches that support older adults in maintaining independence, social connectedness, and access to services. One emerging model is the Community Connector, an individual who facilitates older adults' engagement with local supports that promote well-being. Despite growing references to this role in national and international practice, there is limited comprehensive understanding of how Community Connectors are defined, implemented, and evaluated across diverse contexts, and how these insights may inform adaptation within varying health and social care systems. Objectives The objectives of the scoping review are to (1) identify and characterise international models of Community Connector roles and their key interventions, including modes of delivery (2) describe key characteristics of populations they serve and (3) summarise reported outcomes. Methods This scoping review will follow the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The study design was chosen due to its capacity to comprehensively map and synthesise the existing literature on international Community Connectors, particularly given the limited nature of the evidence. A comprehensive search will be conducted from 2000 to present, across academic databases [CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Embase, PubMed, OVID, Scopus] and grey literature to identify Community Connectors targeting older adults. Two reviewers will independently screen studies for inclusion based on the criteria of full-text, qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies. Data on programme characteristics, target populations, measured outcomes and contextual factors will be extracted, charted, and synthesised using a narrative approach. Conclusions The review will characterise international Community Connectors, including their core functions, role titles, target population and implementation strategies. It will also examine evaluation methods and assess their potential for adaptation and scale-up across healthcare settings. Scoping Review Registration OSF https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/6CZD8.