2025
Research, Practice and Policy to Enhance Community-Based Senior Services
Chairperson: Andrew Wister | Co-Chair: Gloria Gutman
The 32nd John K. Friesen Conference is entitled 鈥淩esearch, Practice and Policy to Enhance Community-Based Senior Services.鈥� The purpose of this conference is to bring together experts from academic, community, NGO, government, and private sectors to review emerging issues and share cutting-edge innovations to enhance community care and support systems targeting a rapidly aging population. Some of the emerging themes include maximizing the reach, efficacy and effectiveness of the community-based senior sector (CBSS), linking community and health care systems, new phases of age-friendly community action, policy developments, and examination of political and social care contexts such as ageism, declining economic security, marginalization, and technological literacy and its age-related divides. Highlights include keynote addresses; topical panel discussions, symposia, and poster displays presented by local, national, and international speakers representing community organizations, NGOs, government, and academic sectors.
Day 1 鈥� June 5, 2025
Welcome and Introduction
Steeve Mongrain, FASS Associate Dean, Research & International
Kelly White, Coast Salish of White Owl Clan
Andrew Wister, Conference Chair and Director, SFU Gerontology Research Centre
Keynote Address
Chair: Andrew Wister, Professor and Director, SFU Gerontology Research Centre
Reimagining Age-Friendly Communities: International Perspectives on Research, Policy and Practice
Tine Buffel, University of Manchester
Panel Discussion
Chair: Atiya Mahmood, Professor, SFU Department of Gerontology
Integration Social Programming in NORCS and Affordable Seniors Housing: The OASIS Example
Catherine Donnelly, Queen鈥檚 University
Vincent DePaul, Queen鈥檚 University
Catherine Bigonnesse, University of New Brunswick
Sherri Crane & Two OASIS participants, Brightside Community Homes Foundation
Claudine Matlo & One OASIS participant, Executive Director, West End Seniors鈥� Network (WESN)
Session
Chair: Gloria Gutman, Professor Emerita, SFU Department of Gerontology
Connect!脗ge: Connecting Organizations to Address Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Marginalized Populations of Older Adults
Andrew Wister, 91泡芙
M茅lanie Levasseur, University of Sherbrooke
Symposium
Chair: Laura Kadowaki, Specialist, Research & Knowledge Mobilization, Government Relations & Government Programs, United Way British Columbia
Social Prescribing Models
Healthy Aging Alberta鈥檚 Social Prescribing Model
Beth Mansell, Healthy Aging Alberta
Co-Creating Social Prescribing in BC
Prabhraj Sandhu, United Way British Columbia
Panel
Chair: Anthony Kupferschmidt, Strategic Lead, Aging and Older Persons, City of Vancouver
Understanding and Strengthening Community-Based Senior Services in BC: A Critical Dialogue
Leslie Gaudette, Council of Senior Citizens鈥� Organizations of BC (COSCO BC)
Jacky Leung, S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
Annwen Loverin, Silver Harbour Centre
Alison Silgardo, Seniors Services Society of BC
Shelley Jorde, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House
Public Lecture
Chair: Gloria Gutman, Professor Emerita, SFU Department of Gerontology
Age-Equitable Vancouver
Anthony Kupferschmidt, Strategic Lead, Aging and Older Persons, City of Vancouver