Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
Volume 33 No.3 2014
GRC NEWS
The Newsletter of the Gerontology Research CentRE
Message from the director
by Andrew Sixsmith
I would like to extend my best wishes for this holiday
season to all those who contribute to, assemble, and
read our newsletters.
Our year-end issue highlights just some of the
accomplishments and efforts by our Centre and
Department both ‘at home’ and ‘a field’. ‘At home’
the GRC hosted a Free Public Lecture presented by
Dr. Laura Lien as well as our 12th Annual Ellen M.
Gee Memorial Lecture: “The Changing Profile of
Aging Families in Canada: Why Demographic Shifts
in Immigration and Ethnic Diversity Matter” that was
presented by Dr. Karen Kobayashi to an over-capacity
audience. The lecture also served as the venue for
the presentation of our Senior Leadership Awards –
one of our favorite events. Further ‘a field’ staff and
students were active at both this year’s CAG and
GSA conventions (see OUR CENTRE – ENGAGED).
These various events continue to demonstrate SFU
Gerontology’s commitment to engagement beyond
the usual confines of academe.
I would like to take this opportunity to request
your donor support for the Centre and Department
to enhance our teaching and research efforts. I am
sure that 2015 will see our existing collaborations go
from strength to strength along with many exciting
opportunities for new collaborations.
Dr. Andrew Sixsmith is the President
of the International Society for
Gerontechnology (ISG) for 2014-2016
Happy Hollidays
Joyeux Noël
GRC News 1
our centre – engaged
AWARD
Andrew Wister Honoured by Canadian Association on
Gerontology
Dr. Andrew Wister, lead site investigator of the Canadian
Longitudinal Study on Aging, has been named the
2014 recipient of the Distinguished Member Award
by the Canadian Association on Gerontology at CAG’s
Scientific and Education Meeting on October 18, 2014.
The award is CAG’s highest honour, presented to
recognize a member who has made significant
contributions to furthering the objectives of the
association. CAG is Canada’s premier association of
those who work, research or have an interest in the field
of aging.
NEW RESEARCH
Sing Mei Chan, PhD, RSW, is the Research Coordinator
of a 4-year funded SSHRC project titled “The Nexus of
Intergenerational Ties in Young Adulthood and Parental
Transitions to Retirement Study” (P.I. Dr. Barbara
Mitchell). Sing Mei’s main interest and research areas are
in family caring of older adults and access to and use of
health care/community programs and services in diverse
cultures and communities.
Free Public Lecture hosted by the SFU Department of
Gerontology
On September 22, 2014 Dr. Habib Chaudhury (Professor
and Chair, SFU Gerontology) welcomed Dr. Laura Lien
(Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Program,
Department of Rehabilitation Science, School of Public
Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo
(The State University of New York)) to the GRC. On
this occasion, Dr. Lien delivered a free public lecture –
Assessing Access and Use of the Home Environment
among Older Adults with Functional Limitations that
dealt with the following:
The built environment plays a significant role in the health and wellbeing of older adults, especially among those with functional limitations.
Housing, in particular, serves as a primary environment that either supports
or limits independence and quality of life in older age. Assessing the fit
between residents and their home environment, however, is a complex and
multidimensional task requiring both objective and subjective approaches. In
response, two interrelated studies exploring the access and use of the home
environment among functionally limited older adults were conducted. Results
from these studies attempt to establish a more comprehensive understanding
of the interrelationship between older adults and their home environments
and how this knowledge can be translated to other settings and contexts.
Implications for research and practice were discussed and future directions for
interdisciplinary research described.
GRC News 2
PRESENTATIONS
Kobayashi, K., Koehn, S., & Khan, M.
(2014, May). Exploring intersections
of health inequality in later life: A
scoping review of the literature on
the health and health care of ethnocultural minority older adults. Paper
presented at the Canadian Sociological
Association Annual Conference, May
26-30, 2014. St. Catharines, ON.
Mills, S., Koehn, S., & Pumarino, J.
(2014, October). Challenges in doing
a realist synthesis when theories are
hard to find: Searching for theoretical
explanations of how culturally adapted
interventions influence learning
and behaviour. Paper presented at
the 1st International Conference on
Realist Approaches to Evaluation
and Synthesis, 27-30 October, 2014,
Liverpool, UK.
Mills, S., Pumarino, J., Carroll, S., Dennis,
S., Koehn, S., Clark, N. Davis, C., Yu,
T., Fong, M., & Rauscher, C. (2014,
October). Understanding how selfmanagement interventions work
for disadvantaged populations with
chronic conditions: A realist synthesis.
Paper presented at the 1st International
Conference on Realist Approaches
to Evaluation and Synthesis, 27-30
October, 2014, Liverpool, UK.
SFU Gerontology at the 43rd Annual
Scientific and Educational Meeting of
the Canadian Association on
Gerontology, October 16-18, 2014, Niagara
Falls, ON:
Badger, M., Koehn. S., & Friesen, K.
DEMENTIA CARE FOR SOUTH ASIAN
OLDER ADULTS. Paper.
Beaton, D., & Wister, A. GENERATIVITY
AS MEASURED BY VOLUNTEERING
AND ITS INFLUENCE ON
SATISFACTION WITH LIFE FOR
CANADIAN SENIORS. Poster.
Bigonness, C., & Wister, A. THE
INFLUENCE OF MENTAL AND
COGNITIVE HEALTH ON SOCIAL
CAPITAL IN LATER LIFE. Poster.
Booi, L., & Sixsmith, A. A REVIEW OF
NURSING PERSONAL ATTITUDES
IN RESIDENTIAL CARE SETTINGS.
Poster.
our centre – engaged
Booi, L., Wu, S., Baumbusch,
J. L., Moody, E., Filipski,
M., & van Der Wal, R. THE
IMPORTANCE OF TEAM
ORIENTED COLLABORATION
AND TRANSPARENCY DURING
STAFFING MODEL CHANGES IN
LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL CARE
(O138). Presentation.
Koehn, S. INTERROGATING ACCESS:
PROMOTING HEALTH CARE
EQUITY FOR ETHNOCULTURAL
MINORITY OLDER ADULTS.
Symposium convened and chaired.
Koehn, S., Badger, M., Cohen, C.,
McCleary, L., & Drummond, N.
NEGOTIATING ACCESS TO A
DIAGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA:
IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICIES IN
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE IN
CANADA. Paper.
Mahmood, A., Chaudhury, H., Oswald,
F., Konopik, N., Pfeiffer, T., & Stott,
S. DEVELOPMENT OF A USERLED NEIGHBOURHOOD BUILT
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT TOOL
FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OLDER
ADULTS – ‘SENIORS WALKABILITY
AUDIT IN NEIGHBOURHOODS’
(SWAN). Paper.
Wister, A. DEVELOPING A SOCIAL
ISOLATION PROGRAM OF
RESEARCH USING THE CLSA.
Paper presented in CIHR-IA Special
Event Symposium entitled, “Towards
the Implementation if the CIHR
Institute of Aging’s Yearly Action
Plan: 2014-15 – Mining a Unique
Canadian Resources: The Canadian
Longitudinal Study on Aging”
Wister, A., & Speechley, M.
FORECASTING LANDSCAPES OF
THE CANADIAN HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM: BRING POPULATION
AGING INTO FOCUS. Paper.
Wu, S., & Wister, A. GENDER
DIFFERENCES IN DEPRESSION
AND NUTRITIONAL RISK AMONG
OLDER CANADIANS: THE ROLE OF
SOCIAL SUPPORT IN BUFFERING
STRESS (P146). Poster.
SFU Gerontology at the 67th Annual
Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological
Society of America, November 5-9, 2014,
Washington, DC:
Canham, S.L., Kaufmann, C.N.,
Chen-Edinboro, L.P., Mauro, P.M.,
& Scherer, M. NEIGHBORHOOD
DISORDER, NEIGHBORHOOD
SOCIAL COHESION, AND
DRINKING IN MIDDLE-AGED AND
OLDER ADULTS: FINDINGS FROM
THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT
STUDY. Paper.
Canham, S.L., Mahmood, A., Stott,
S., & O’Rourke, N. ‘TILL DIVORCE
DO US PART: LATE LIFE DIVORCE
FOLLOWING LONG-TERM
MARRIAGE. Paper.
IN-MEMORIAM
TOM CAMPBELL KINLOCH
(November 3, 1930 – August 13, 2014)
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Mr. Kinloch was the
subject of an article, “A short biography of
gerontology patron Tom Kinloch” written
by Andrew Wister (Chair, Gerontology
Department, SFU) in our GRC News
32(2), 1-2. The following is excerpted from
the “Celebration of Life” for Mr. Kinloch]
Tom Kinloch, age 83, suddenly passed
away at the Vancouver General
Hospital on Thursday, August 14, 2014.
He was very generous to the community
and instrumental in establishing several
education funds in his name.
He was also a patron of the Simon
Fraser University Gerontology Centre, in
particular to support the John K. Friesen
Lecture Series.
He will be dearly remembered by
the many friends and associates he
encountered over his lengthy career as
an administrator and volunteer.
Chaudhury, H. Symposium:
ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES
IN ENVIRONMENTAL
GERONTOLOGY:
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES. (Co-chair and
Organizer with Frank Oswald).
Chaudhury, H. Symposium:
GIVING VOICE TO STUDENTS
IN ENVIRONMENTAL
GERONTOLOGY: BUILDING
ON TOMORROWS SCHOLARLY
RESEARCH. Discussant.
Chaudhury, H. Symposium: NEW
PERSPECTIVES ON HOME,
BELONGING AND AGING IN THE
COMMUNITY. Discussant.
Chaudhury, H. Symposium: GREEN
HOUSE NURSING HOMES:
IMPACTS AND OUTCOMES.
Chaudhury, H., Hung, L., & Rust, T.
THE EFFECT OF DINING ROOM
RENOVATIONS ON RESIDENTS’
DINING EXPERIENCES AND STAFF
PRACTICES IN LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES. Poster.
PUBLICATIONS
Kaufmann, C.N., Canham, S.L.,
Mojtabai, R., Alexander, G.C.,
Bandeen-Roche, L., Rutkow, L., &
Spira, A.P. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN
USE OF SLEEP-AIDS AND FALLS IN
A POPULATION BASED SAMPLE
OF MIDDLE AGED AND OLDER
ADULTS. Presentation.
Mahmood, A. Discussant for the
symposium: Aging well as a matter
of trust.
Mahmood, A., Chaudhury, H., Oswald,
F., Konopik, N., Pfeiffer, T., & Stott,
S. DEVELOPMENT OF A USERLED NEIGHBOURHOOD BUILT
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT TOOL
FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OLDER
ADULTS – ‘SENIORS WALKABILITY
AUDIT IN NEIGHBOURHOODS’
(SWAN). Paper.
Woolrych, R., Canham, S.L., O’Reilly,
C., Fang, M., Sixsmith, A., &
Sixsmith, J. CREATING HOMELIKE
CARE ENVIRONMENTS: THE
PERSPECTIVE OF FORMAL
CARERS. Poster.
GRC News 3
NEW RESEARCH:
Spotlight on GRC/Dept
research, initiatives, & people
TRANSLATING KNOWLEDGE ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN
ASSISTED LIVING
by Sharon Koehn
Atiya Mahmood &
Sharon Koehn (Co-PIs).
Exploring social, physical
environmental and
organizational influences in
quality of life of ethnically
diverse older adults in
assisted living facilities. SFU/SSHRC Research Institutional
Grant, 2012-2014, $11,642.
The Environmental Influences on Quality of Life in Assisted
Living: A Cross-Cultural Pilot Project conducted by co-PIs
Dr. Atiya Mahmood (Associate Professor, SFU Department
of Gerontology) and Dr. Sharon Koehn (Clinical Research
Professor, SFU Department of Gerontology) sought to
understand how ethnically diverse older adult residents of
Assisted Living (AL) facilities in British Columbia experience
quality of life. Specifically they were interested in the role, if
any, that organizational, physical, and social environmental
features play in influencing how quality of life is experienced.
Having completed data collection and analysis, Dr. Koehn
was keen to relay the findings back to residents (or tenants)
and frontline and administrative staff of the three participating
Assisted Living sites. To add to the fun and information
value of the report-back sessions, she joined forces with SFU
Masters program graduates Kristine Theurer and Annette
Wertman who also gave interactive presentations based on
their research conducted in the program. Kristine’s Java Music
Club (http://javamusicclub.com/ ) uses music and guided
conversation to combat social isolation for older adults in
congregate living whereas Annette’s chair yoga (http://www.
agelessyoga.ca/ ) is a safe and enjoyable way to keep them
active. Both can improve quality of life.
Café Scientifiques funding supported the production
of newsletters on their research findings, translation and
interpretation services, as well as culturally appropriate snacks
for the Chinese, South Asian and ethnically mixed groups
of participants. Two students from Dr. Koehn’s graduate
class on Health Care Issues for Minority Older Adults
(Jude Morrisson and Maddie Addison) also participated by
documenting the process at the different sites to identify
how well the findings presented at the events rang true with
resident and staff experiences and how useful they thought the
information presented would be to them.
One of the key findings from the QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY
is that all dimensions of the environment, but most especially
organizational policies, staffing and activities influence the
different dimensions of quality of life depicted above, the
most important of which is that of control over their lives.
While many accept the trade-off between increased safety and
diminished control that accompanies a move into Assisted
Living, one Assisted Living resident poignantly remarked that
the “triangle was upside down.” When asked if he did not
think that control was most important he replied that indeed it
was, but they were left with so little.
Stay tuned for more detailed reporting of the findings of the
study.
Huge thanks are due to Kristine and Annette for their investment
of time, to our volunteer coordinator Ornela Polovina, and to
gerontology graduate student, Sarah Stott for designing the
QUALITY OF LIFE newsletter.
QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY NEWSLETTER: (http://www.
researchgate.net/publication/267213346_Recommendations_for_
supporting_Quality_of_Life_in_Assisted_Living )
Reference
Grewal, I., Nazroo, J., Bajekal, M., Blane, D., & Lewis, J. (2004).
Influences on quality of life: A qualitative investigation of
ethnic differences among older people in England. Journal of
Ethnic and Migration Studies, 30(4), 737-761.
GRC News 4
our centre – engaged
2014 SENIOR LEADERSHIP AWARDS
A highlight for the SFU Gerontology Research Centre is the
presentation of our annual Senior Leadership Award. In 2001 the GRC
established a Senior Leadership Award to recognize the contributions
that British Columbia seniors make as volunteers. Nominations are
open to persons aged 65+ or to organizations in the Province of
British Columbia who have contributed time and experience providing
exemplary voluntary service. The 2014 award ceremony took place on
the occasion of the 12th Annual Ellen Gee Memorial Lecture, presented
by Dr. Sharon Koehn to Emily Doreen Reid, a resident at Whitecliff
Retirement Living in White Rock.
Doreen began serving
society at the age of 19 when
in 1938 she enrolled as a
Student Nurse at the Regina
Grey Nuns’ Hospital School
of Nursing, graduating as a
Registered Nurse in 1941. In
l943 Doreen joined the Royal
Canadian Army Medical Corp
as a Nursing Sister with the
rank of Lieutenant stationed
in Toronto, caring for Veterans
who returned from Europe
suffering from Tuberculosis and
continued serving throughout
the war until she was discharged
from the Army in late 1945.
After the war, Doreen took time to raise her two sons until returning to
work in l958 as a Public Health Nurse in Saskatchewan. Doreen transferred
to Saskatchewan Social Services in l971 eventually becoming the first
female Probation/Parole Officer in Saskatchewan until she retired in 1977.
Retirement did not stop Doreen’s sense of ‘community service’;
from 1983 – 2000 Doreen and her husband, Robert, acted as
volunteers at the Texas trailer park where they wintered hosting such
social activities as cards, shuffleboard, golf, pancake suppers, and
open-to-the-public-Bingo. During this time, Doreen also served as:
resident park secretary; president of a tourist club; a volunteer at a
Memorial Hospital 1/2 a day a week; and a Meals-to-Wheels volunteer.
In 2007 Doreen, now widowed, moved to Whitecliff in White Rock
where she is close to her sons and grandchildren. To make things
interesting in her new home, Doreen joined the Red Hats.
In the Fall of 2009, a Whitecliff Residents Council was established
comprised of 8 volunteers. Doreen was asked to be the Council’s
president – an office which she still holds. The Council’s mandate is
to act as liaison between residents and management. Thanks to their
hard work, the residents now have an excellent management team in
place and a friendly and caring staff who do everything in their power
to make all residents at Whitecliff feel that this is truly their home.
It gives the SFU Gerontology Research Centre great pleasure in
conferring our 2014 Senior Leadership Award for Service to
Seniors to Emily Doreen Reid.
SFU Gerontology Research
Centre Hosts 12th Annual
Ellen M. Gee Memorial
Lecture (EGML2014)
The Changing Profile
of Aging Families
in Canada: Why
Demographic Shifts
in Immigration and
Ethnic Diversity
Matter
Attendees of this year’s EGML joined Dr. Karen
Kobayashi (Associate Professor and Graduate
Chair, Department of Sociology and Centre on
Aging, University of Victoria). Paying tribute to
Ellen’s innovative research on aging, health,
ethnicity, and the family, this presentation
explored the changing profile of aging families
in Canada and its implications for social and
health care policy and practice in the second
decade of the new millennium. With a focus on
the increasing ethno-cultural diversity of the
older adult population, Dr. Kobayashi addressed
issues related to immigration, generation,
gender, class, and power, as they have emerged
in the context of recent research discussions on
social support and family relations in later life.
Insights into the impact and meaning of such
demographic shifts on contemporary family life
were presented using examples from Ellen’s
former students’ and colleagues’ continuing
work in this area.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Kobayashi is Principal
Investigator, ACaDeMe Research Project, Michael
Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR);
Chair, Social Dimensions of Aging Committee,
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR);
and Chair, Ethnicity and Aging Team, National
Initiative on Care for the Elderly (NICE)]
For more information on this and other Ellen
Gee Memorial Lectures, please visit our
website: http://www.sfu.ca/grc/ellen/
GRC News 5
RECENTLY COMPLETED THESES & PROJECTS
Sfu Department of Gerontology
Stephanie Blackman (2014). Investigating
the feasibility of smartphone applications
as a support for older adults with mild
impairments in cognition. (Supervisor:
A. Sixsmith). http://summit.sfu.ca/
item/13961
Older adults with mild impairments
in cognition face difficulties with
independently completing certain
aspects of daily living. Smartphone
applications have significant potential
for supporting the needs of this
population. A two-part capstone,
divided into an extended literature
review and a research proposal,
explores this potential. Part One details
the characteristics and diagnostic
terminology used to encompass various
forms of mild impairments in cognition,
including Age-Associated Memory
Impairment, Age-Related Cognitive
Decline, Mild Cognitive Impairment,
and Mild Neurocognitive Disorder. The
literature review also focuses on the
potential unmet needs of those with
these conditions, relevant smartphone
applications that have the potential to
address these needs, and technology
adoption barriers specific to this
population. The extended literature
review utilizes both academic and grey
literature sources in order to inform
five personas, which provide examples
of how smartphone applications
can be incorporated into the lives of
older adults with mild impairments in
cognition. Findings from the literature
review indicate that certain smartphone
applications match with the needs of
this population and could be utilized
if technology adoption barriers are
addressed. Part Two proposes a
feasibility study investigating the
utility of smartphone applications as
a means of achieving participants’
goals, exploring effective strategies for
technology adoption training for this
population, and developing a process
for choosing appropriate smartphone
applications to facilitate goal
achievement. The research proposal
highlights the need for a feasibility
GRC News 6
study looking at a peer-led smartphone
application adoption training program
to facilitate goal achievement for
older adults with mild impairments
in cognition and also indicates likely
funding sources for such a study.
Katherine Coatta (2014). A conceptual
and theoretical analysis of resilience
in the context of aging with multiple
morbidities. (Supervisor: A. Wister).
http://summit.sfu.ca/item/14019
The ability to live and age well is a
common goal across the lifespan.
For older adults with multiple chronic
conditions, this goal frequently poses
a challenge. A central process by which
individuals face challenges, or adversity,
and regain wellness or experience
growth in their lives is a complex,
dynamic phenomenon termed resilience.
Cultivating resilience is therefore
important for those with multiple
chronic conditions, since they face daily
stressors and long-lasting adversity.
However, the concept of resilience has
not been well developed in relation to
chronic adversity or aging, and although
it is a well-used term, it remains a
nebulous concept for researchers to
engage with. Therefore, this research
project conducted a conceptual and
theoretical analysis of resilience in the
context of aging with multiple chronic
conditions. In addition, a lifespan model
of resilience was developed, and an
agenda for future research was outlined.
Joanne Franko (2014). Exploring the
role of environments of adult day
programs on well being of older adults
with dementia. (Supervisor: Habib
Chaudhury).
Despite the existence of substantial
research on physical environment of
long-term care facilities, there is a scarcity
of empirical research on the physical
environment of community-based
programs such as adult day centres. In
particular, there is limited evidence on
the role of environmental design of those
settings in supporting (or hindering) the
needs of older persons with dementia.
This study explores the affect of physical
and social environments of adult day
program setting on clients’ activities
and well-being in the context of purposebuilt versus non-purpose-built facilities.
A mixed-method approach was used
that included: physical environmental
assessment, in-depth interviews with staff
members and ethnographic observations.
Four themes emerged: ‘Design Matters’,
‘Social Connectedness’, ‘Staying Active’,
and, ‘Community-based Health Services’.
The findings demonstrate the need for
adult day programs’ integrated and
restorative services, which provide
appropriate care and social contact
for frail older adults, thereby fostering
independence and healthy living.
Nataliya Polchenko (2014). Development
and validation of a scale for measuring
spousal end-of-life communication.
(Supervisor: A. Wister). http://summit.
sfu.ca/item/14093
Currently there are no instruments
measuring communication about
end-of-life (EOL) issues in families not
involved in palliative care. The purpose
of the study was the development and
initial validation of a new quantitative
instrument, the Marital End-of-Life
Communication Scale (MELCS), to
measure EOL communication in
married/partnered adults. After initial
item development and validation in
married/partnered adults (age 45 years
old and older, N=101), six items, scored
by 5-point Likert-type response options,
were chosen for the final version of the
scale. Factor analyses confirmed the
theorized single-factor structure. The
MELCS demonstrated excellent reliability
(CR=0.892) as well as good content,
convergent (AVE=0.587), discriminant,
construct, and criterion-related validity. In addition, the scale was invariant
across age, gender, and level of death
anxiety. Analyses of the nomological
network showed that marital EOL
communication positively related
with general marital communication
(R=0.53), and negatively related with
death anxiety (R=–0.47) and self-rated
health status (R=–0.44).
Julie Shum. (2014). Opportunities and
challenges of innovative housing and/or
support service models in fostering aging
in place for older adults: A critical review.
(Supervisor, H. Chaudhury).
http://summit.sfu.ca/item/14449
This capstone project presents a
critical synthesis of recent literature
(2000 to 2013) focused on three types
of innovative housing and/or service
models and aging in place to address
housing needs for older adults. The
inquiry reviews and synthesizes
literature across multidisciplinary
field related to psychology, sociology,
gerontology and architecture. By
comparative analysis of their differences
and similarities, opportunities and
challenges are identified for Villages,
NORCs and Cohousing. Findings
affirm the potential of these innovative
housing and/or service models to
support aging in place. Through
planned empowerment programs,
sociocultural activities, enhanced health/
social services and accessible built
environment, older adults can remain
autonomous and independent living
in safe and comfortable surroundings.
Organizational strategies include shared
leadership, effective communication
processes, co-location of services and
relationships. Villages, NORCs and
Cohousing’s distinct effectiveness
stem from their identification,
contextualization and strategic allocation
of external and internal resources.
Their challenge to sustain comes from
membership recruitment and funding
limitations. This comparative study and
analysis will advance research, practice
and policy on housing for aging in place.
Monita Sundar (2014). Physical activity
and health outcomes: A systematic &
methodological review. (Supervisor:
A. Wister). http://summit.sfu.ca/
item/14083
It is understood that regular physical
activity (PA) plays a critical role in
improving and maintaining a person’s
health and well-being, especially as
one grows older. Such benefits include
preventing or controlling obesity,
arthritis, hypertension, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease including stroke,
depression, cognitive disorders, certain
cancers, and improving strength,
flexibility and function. Regular
PA can also stave off premature
mortality. Despite these benefits of PA,
older adults are becoming less active
as they age. This capstone addresses
two objectives: 1) to systematically and
methodologically review and analyze
cross-sectional and longitudinal
associations between PA and health
outcomes from the older adult general
population living in the community or
in institutional care aged 50 years and
older and 2) to compare the results
cross-sectionally and longitudinally.
Results indicated that both crosssectionally and longitudinally there
were weak to moderate associations
between PA and health outcomes such
as emotional well-being, cognitive
function, physical function, mortality,
depression, chronic disease, quality of
life and successful aging. Demonstrating
a positive association between PA and
health outcomes among older adults
could have considerable public health
implications in designing interventions
to promote participation in PA.
Ashley Waldoch-Gibson (2014).
Canadian policy and aging in place:
The importance of assistive technology
and information and communication
technology. (Supervisor: A. Sixsmith).
This capstone project critically analyzes
Canadian policy initiatives and aging
in place in relation to the enhancement
of home and community services
through the implementation of assistive
technology and information and
communication technology. A review
of the literature reveals that policy and
funding arrangements may be impeding
the delivery of health and community
care services and the accessibility of
assistive technology and information
and communication technology that
support aging in place. It is proposed
that underlying factors have created a
long history of favouring acute care over
home and community care and this
tendency is currently reflected in reactive
initiatives concerning the potential of
assistive technology and information
and communication technology. The
project provides recommendations
for future policy initiatives in regards
to a technology strategy specifically
designed for home and community care’s
prevention and maintenance function with
the intention of improving opportunities
for aging in place.
GERONTOLOGY GRADUATE
CAUCUS UPDATE
The GGC would like to start by
offering the new students to the SFU
Department of Gerontology a warm
and heartfelt welcome. The GGC is
currently in the process of planning a
variety of social and academic events
for the upcoming year. For example,
in the New Year the GGC will be
putting together a team for our annual
participation in the 5km Alzheimer’s
Society Walk for Memories on January
25th 2015 in Stanley Park. Last year,
the SFU Gerontology team was able
to raise $2,115 and we hope to make
this year’s fundraising effort even more
successful. Elections for the 2014/2015
GGC Executive Committee were held
at the GGC’s Annual General Meeting
this September and we are pleased to
announce this year’s members:
Chair – Heather Cowie
Vice Chair – Tasha Lorenzen
Secretary – Laura Kadowaki
Treasurer – Taylor Tuepah
Social Coordinator – Brooke Astles
GSS Representative – Taylor Tuepah
Alternate GSS Representatives – Britta
Willson & Denise Beaton
Members at Large – Denise Beaton &
Britta Willson
For more information on the GGC,
upcoming meetings and events, please
contact Heather Cowie at hcowie@sfu.ca
GRC News 7
DONOR RECOGNITION 2013-14
The Gerontology Research Centre and the Department of Gerontology gratefully
acknowledge the following corporations, associations, and individuals who donated
funds this past fiscal year in support of the Centre, student awards, or specific projects such as the Dr. Tong Louie Living Laboratory. Over and above these gifts, we
also gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of our founding donors whose gifts
keep on giving via the interest generated on endowment funds.
Rudy Aulinger Award
German Canadian Benevolent Society of
B.C.*
BC Old Age Pensioners
Organization Scholarships
Old Age Pensioners of BC Scholarship
Society
David and Rachelle Chertkow
Graduate Endowment Fund
Gutman, Gloria
Israel Chertkow Memorial
Scholarship
Gutman, Gloria; McKeon, Roselyn;
O’Rourke, Norm
Isabel Dawson Memorial
Scholarship
Kupferschmidt, Anthony; O’Rourke, Norm
Al Eisenring Memorial
Endowment Fund
Gutman, Gloria
John K. Friesen Conference
Series Endowment Fund
Gutman, Gloria
Dr. Ellen M. Gee Endowed
Memorial Lecture Series in
Gerontology
John Bogardus
Gerontology Research Centre
Endowment Fund
Allen, Trasey; Boal, Jeremy; Holley,
Jennifer; McWhirter, Margot; Martinjak,
Magdalena; Ort, Lisa; Van Blerk, Anne;
Estate of Ada George*
Imperial Oil*; Real Estate Foundation of
B.C.*; Shoppers Drug Mart*
Gloria Gutman Endowment
Fund
Gutman, Gloria
Barbara Guttman-Gee
Lectureship Endowment
Wister, Andrew
Keith G. Loughlin Endowment
Fund
Keith G. Loughlin.*
Dr. Tong Louie Living Lab
Endowment Fund
Canada Life Assurance Company*;
Imasco Limited*;
London Drugs Limited*
Royal Canadian Legion
Geriatric Nursing/Gerontology
Bursary
Royal Canadian Legion, BC/Yukon
Command
SFU Gerontology Alumni
Endowment Fund
McDonnell, Tara; McFarling, Lisa;
Murray, Annie; Roy, Diane; Williams,
Lara; Yon, Yongjie
Lillian Zimmerman Graduate
Scholarship in Gerontology
Lillian Zimmerman
* Interest from prior years’ major gifts
New Publication!
FACT BOOK ON Aging in British Columbia and
Canada SIXTH EDITION
by: Andrew Wister, Andrew Sixsmith, Raymond Adams, &
Laura Kadowaki
The SFU Gerontology Research Centre is excited to
announce the publication of the 6th Edition of the Fact
Book on Aging in British Columbia and Canada. This
new edition updates and expands upon material presented
in the previous editions using data primarily derived from
the Statistics Canada 2011 Census. Please go to the GRC website for information on
how to order your copy of Fact Book – 6th Edition – http://www.sfu.ca/grc/
GRC News 8
NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT
The SFU Gerontology Research
Centre and the SFU Department of
Gerontology are seeking your taxdeductible donations to support
our research, teaching, and public
awareness efforts in the area of
seniors’ issues. Please visit the GRC
website homepage and select the
DONOR LINK to download a PDFversion of our DONOR SUPPORT
FORM. (http://www.sfu.ca/uploads/
page/02/GRC_DONATION_FORM.
pdf). Thank you!
The Gerontology
Research Centre
The Gerontology Research Centre
(GRC) is committed to high quality
research and knowledge transfer in the
field of aging.
Gerontology Research Centre
Simon Fraser University
2800-515 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 5K3
P: (778) 782-5062
E: gero@sfu.ca
GRC website: www.sfu.ca/grc/
Department website: www.sfu.ca/
gerontology
GRC Director: Dr. Andrew Sixsmith
Editor: Raymond G. Adams, BA, MLIS.
Design & layout: Jocelyne Laflamme
ISSN: 1188-181X Circulation 2,100
This newsletter aims to provide accurate information.
Although the information presented and the opinions
expressed are gathered from sources thought to be reliable, their accuracy and correct interpretation cannot be
guaranteed.