The aging of populations is a historically unprecedented societal achievement. Canada is now among a host of ‘greying nations’ whose older citizens may live 30-40 years past the ‘traditional’ retirement age of 65. With more people living longer, Canadian society today provides novel opportunities for connection across different age and social groups.
But population aging also poses some challenges for Canadians. For many, living longer is accompanied by increased chronic disease and need for care. This is perceived as placing increased demands on our health and social care system. While these concerns are well-founded in how our health care system is currently structured, they also rest on false perceptions of all older people as necessarily frail, dependent and an economic burden.
EVENT:
To address the needs and issues of an aging society — we convened a Re-Imagine Aging Network at the University of British Columbia comprised of a core interdisciplinary team of researchers.
This workshop will build on the ideas generated at the first and second Re-Imagine Aging workshop last June and October. The focus will be to develop an Aging Network across UBC and UBCO campuses.
This workshop will begin with a 40-minute interdisciplinary panel by our three experts who are known to ‘catalyze’ discussion that will challenge us to re-imagine aging.
Following a larger group discussion, smaller groups will delve further into discussing the aging networks draft strategic plan that will guide our work as well as the value the network will bring across campuses. Discussion will take place in a casual, yet structured environment, to promote interdisciplinary dialogue. Graphic recording will serve as a visual legacy.