CAH Distinguished Lecture
Integration of Older Adults in Society: Is It Really Beneficial?
University of Regina
Administration Humanities Building (AH) Room 527
6:00 pm
Open to the public. Admission is free.
Free parking is available in Lot 3M.
Refreshments will be provided.
Speaker: Dr. Neena Chappell, Professor, University of Victoria Department of Sociology
Dr. Chappell has focused on social gerontology throughout her 35-year career. Her interest lies in the demonstration of the value and relevance of sociological thought and research for applied issues in aging. She believes rigorous university-based social science research has a critical role to play in the non-university community. She researches caregiving as well as Canadian and cross-national health and social policy. Dr. Chappell has established two world-class university research centers on aging: University of Manitoba and University of Victoria. She has published over 250 academic articles and reports and has brought in over $45 million in research funding. She is past-president of the Canadian Association on Gerontology and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada as well as of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Dr. Chappell will discuss social integration for older adults in terms of connection and participation, empowerment, and community. She will relate these concepts to individual participation as well as to broader concerns in society. Research suggests that interaction with others is good for the health and quality of life of older adults and perhaps most types of interaction can be positive, leaving a wide spectrum for individual choices. Although there is limited research on interventions, several examples appear beneficial such as the World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Cities and Communities idea. Dr. Chappell will discuss the benefits of social integration as well as ideas on how older adults can become more socially engaged.
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