On Aging Canadian Conversations

How do young and old come together in a way that works for everyone? Dr. Shannon Jarrott, Professor of Social Work at Ohio State University, takes us through her toolkit on facilitating activities that promote conversation and engagement between older people and youth, and discusses the importance of intergenerational relationships to a healthy society. Dr. Shannon Jarrott is a Professor of Social Work at the Ohio State University. Her research focuses on intergenerational community building strategies. Trained as a gerontologist, Dr. Jarrott has studied community-based services, therapeutic programming, and research strategies involving a wide range of youth and older adults possessing diverse strengths and needs, such as chronic disease and disability. Dr. Jarrott collaborates extensively with students, practitioners, and researchers across diverse disciplines. She has contributed to United Nations, NIH, USDA, and international efforts to promote developmental theory, research, and practice.

Community organizations are stronger together! Helen MacDonnell, Executive Director of Community Links Nova Scotia, shares how CBSS organizations in Nova Scotia have come together through the pandemic and in the wake of Hurricane Fiona to coordinate, share resources, and serve Nova Scotians better, and discusses what a recognized CBSS sector spanning from coast to coast to coast could accomplish. Helen MacDonnell is Executive Director of Community Links, a community-based organization that for over 30 years has connected individuals and senior-serving organizations, sharing information and resources so older adults can remain active, engaged and valued in their communities. Helen sits on the Seniors Advisory Council to the Government of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging Advisory Board. In 2018 she was a Fellow of NSGovLab, an initiative of the NS Department of Seniors using social innovation to find new ways to support older adults. She is an award-winning mental health advocate and founder of Women & Wellness®, an awareness and fundraiser which has raised more than $1.5 million for the Canadian Mental Health Association. Helen has an LL.B. from Dalhousie Law School and an MFA in Non-fiction from the University of Kings College, Halifax. She is mom to two adult children and a puppy named Willow. Helen can be reached at director@nscommunitylinks.ca or 902-240-1822

If we permit ageism, we promote it. Join Dr. Kiran Rabheru as he discusses the social, political, psychological, and moral implications of ageism, and learn what's being done to codify the rights of older people on the world stage. Dr. Kiran Rabheru is a Geriatric Psychiatrist with The Ottawa Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry with the University of Ottawa. He is a Certificant and a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP, FCFP) and a board certified geriatric psychiatrist in Canada and the United States (FRCP, DABPN). Dr. Rabheru is designated as a Founder of the sub-specialty of Geriatric Psychiatry by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and received the Outstanding Achievements in Geriatric Psychiatry in Canada Award from the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry (CAGP). He is passionate and committed to serving older persons and creating a world in which they can live free from discrimination and able to fully enjoy their rights. Currently, Dr. Rabheru is the Chair of the Board of the International Longevity Centre, Canada (www.ilccanada.org). He is a Board member as well as Chair of the Advocacy and Public Awareness Committee of the International Psychogeriatric Association (www.ipa-online.org ). Dr. Rabheru is Chair of the Section of Positive Psychiatry of the World Psychiatric Association (https://www.wpanet.org/), and a member of the National Leadership Team for the Fountain of Health (www.fountainofhealth.ca), which promotes healthy aging, brain resilience and vitality.

Everyone dies, but what does it mean to die a good death? Learn from Jennifer Mallmes, co-founder of the End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada, as she explores the importance of connection for those who are dying and the people around them, and how you can support your loved one in their last days. Jennifer Mallmes has spent the last twenty years as a caregiver and an advocate for quality end-of-life care in Canada. She is the co-founder of the End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada, the creator and an instructor of the End-of-Life Doula program and the Indigenous End of Lifer Guide program at Douglas College, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and Adult Education at Athabasca University. Jennifer’s passion for quality end-of-life care has inspired her to consciously empower others to live and die well.

Heather Cowie is the Manager, Community Engagement at the Alzheimer Society of B.C. and the National Project Manager for Dementia-Friendly Canada. The Dementia-Friendly Canada project is a partnership between Alzheimer Societies across the country intended to grow dementia-friendly communities by creating a truly nation-wide impact. Heather has her Master of Arts degree in Gerontology from Simon Fraser University, where she specialized in aging and the built environment. She previously worked as the Strategic Lead and Provincial Coordinator for the Dementia-Friendly Communities initiative at the Alzheimer Society of B.C. for almost seven years, and is excited to be bringing attention to dementia-friendly communities across the country and helping people understand the actions they can take to build them.

This episode features the work of Dr. Corey Mackenzie for Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month (Movember).  Corey Mackenzie, Ph.D., C. Psych., is a Clinical Psychologist, Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology, Adjunct Professor in Psychiatry, and Research Affiliate with the Centre on Aging at the University of Manitoba. He has published 98 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters focusing on older adults’ mental health. Using both primary quantitative and qualitative methods, and secondary analyses of national population surveys, research in his Aging & Mental Health Lab aims to: (a) understand how age affects mental health, (b) enhance older adults’ access to mental health services, and (c) help individuals cope with stress when caring for older adults with dementia.

On Aging Canadian Conversations resumed in September, so mark your calendar for this twice monthly series featuring discussions with thought leaders about timely topics on aging.    Join us for a 30-minute break in your day to get informed and inspired. In each episode, you'll see a short video introducing a community-based organization that’s making a difference in the lives of older Canadians, and listen in on HelpAge Canada CEO Gregor Sneddon's conversation with a featured guest who brings a valuable perspective to the experience of aging on Canada.  On October 27th, Raza Mirza, with the Canada Home Share Program, discussed an intergenerational approach to housing. November will include Dr. Kate Mulligan from the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing, and Dr. Corey MacKenzie, of the Aging and Mental Health Laboratory and Research Affiliate with the Centre on Aging at the University of Manitoba.

The first episode this season featured the work of the Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN) and joining us will be Janet Siddall, retired Canadian diplomat who spent most of her thirty-year career working in immigration and refugee affairs in Africa and Asia. She also held several senior positions in Ottawa, including that of Assistant Deputy Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.  But it was her early experiences in the 1980s in Kenya that led to her abiding passion for sub-Saharan Africa and the challenges facing its people.  Janet returned to Africa in 2007 as the Canadian High Commissioner to Tanzania before retiring in 2009. She now lives in Whitehorse, Yukon.  Janet has been active in the Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN) since her retirement. GRAN is a not-for-profit network of volunteers from across Canada who advocate for the protection and promotion of the human rights of older women in the global south, and in particular, in sub-Saharan Africa. Janet served as the Co- Chair of GRAN from 2018- 2022.

Ann is proud to be one of the founding members of RECAA an organization of elders from Montreal’s cultural communities who work across age, gender and ethnic lines to raise awareness of elder mistreatment and to promote a culture of respect for elders in all our communities. RECAA uses participatory theatre workshops to provide opportunities for elders to identify problems, to collect and focus current information and resources and hence to explore solutions for individuals in their respective community.

Healthy Aging CORE and HelpAge Canada are thrilled to introduce an upcoming series of conversations with thought leaders in Canada on a variety of topics related to healthy aging. Each episode addresses a different theme relevant to healthy aging, and will include a conversation on the topic, as well as a short video clip of a Canadian community-based seniors serving organization. This conversation is on the topic of Ageism and features Margaret Gillis. Margaret is the founding President of the International Longevity Centre Canada, part of a global alliance of 16 Centers dedicated to the needs and rights of older people. An award-winning executive and innovative leader, Margaret played a key role in establishing the Age-friendly Community program in Canada and internationally, this program is now in over 900 Canadian communities and 26 countries worldwide.