Conversations Confronting COVID-19: Aging

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened our health and communities, including some of our most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.

• Have we failed or succeeded in our duty to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society?
• What has the national and global response to the pandemic taught us about our preparedness for such a virus?
• How will the pandemic influence our long-term strategy for healthy aging?

These are some of the important questions we examined during Conversations Confronting COVID-19: Aging, the second session in the virtual event series.

Watch the webinar, moderated by Dr. Jane Philpott, to hear a panel of experts from health care, research, and policymaking discuss the lessons learned about Canad's elderly population and long-term care.

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Here are some relevant resources provided by the panelists: 

• CanAge is a national seniors advocacy agency that seeks to educate, empower, and mobilize people on the issues that matter most to older Canadians  
• Oasis Senior Supportive Living Inc. is a program designed to strengthen and sustain healthy communities of older adults 
• Sagelink is the web portal for the Centre for Studies in Aging & Health and the Seniors Health Knowledge Network (SHKN) 
• To Everything There is a Season: Reflections from Hamilton and Ottawa on Sustaining Social Inclusion Initiatives in the Community (November 20, 2019) 
• Climate Change, Vulnerability and Health Equity in Canada: Understanding Linkages to Inform Adaptation (January 23, 2020) 
• Older Adults, Physical Distancing and Social Isolation During the COVID-19 Pandemic – What Can Communities Do NOW? (April 16, 2020) 
• Connectedness, Purpose, and Belonging: Role of Social Prescribing in Integrating Health Care and Social Supports (April 29, 2020) 
• Rainbow Steps for LGBT2SQ Seniors (June 24, 2020) 

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Moderator

Dr. Jane Philpott, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences; Director, School of Medicine, Queen’s University

Dr. Jane Philpott is an accomplished family physician, educator, and global health champion, and is best known for having held several senior cabinet positions with the Canadian government. From 2015 to 2019 she served as the Minister of Health, Minister of Indigenous Services, President of the Treasury Board, and Minister of Digital Government. Prior to her work in politics, Dr. Philpott practiced as a family doctor for 30 years and spent the first decade of her career in Niger, West Africa. She served as chief of Family Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital and as an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She was recently appointed as the Ministers' Special Advisor for the Ontario Health Data Platform.

Contact: deanfhs@queensu.ca

Panelists

Ms. Laura Tamblyn Watts, Artsci’94, CEO, CanAge 

Laura Tamblyn Watts is a lawyer, advocate, researcher, and media commentator. She is the chief executive officer of CanAge, a national seniors advocacy agency. Her work focuses on law, aging, abuse, accessibility, law reform, governance and knowledge mobilization. She has previously served as chief public policy officer at CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) and national director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law. She currently teaches at the University of Toronto, where she is also a fellow of the Institute for Life Course and Aging. 

Contact: laura@canage.ca
For general information about CanAge, contact info@canage.ca

Dr. John Puxty, Associate Professor, Chair, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University

Dr. John Puxty is an experienced academic geriatrician. He is also director of the Southeastern Ontario Regional Geriatric Program, and the Centre for Studies in Aging and Health, a well as chair of the Seniors Health Knowledge Network and Ontario Interdisciplinary Council for Aging and Health.  He has a primary interest in promoting healthy aging and wellness for older adults through his ongoing research in aging, age friendly communities, memory disorders, and knowledge mobilization strategies. 

Contact: puxtyj@queensu.ca

Dr. Kevin Woo, Associate Professor, School of Nursing and School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University; member of the Canadian Frailty Network

Dr. Kevin Woo is recognized as a national expert in wound care and has served on many expert panels and advisory boards to develop the best practice recommendations. He received the Journal of Wound Care Best Diabetic Foot Ulcer Intervention Award in 2018 for his contribution to advance diabetic foot care and Journal of Wound Care Professional Education Award in 2017. He is the North American regional director of the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP). Dr. Woo has a range of research interests, including enhancing chronic disease self-management, developing quality benchmarks for wound management, and implementing best practices for difficult-to-heal wounds.

Contact: kevin.woo@queensu.ca

Dr. Catherine Donnelly, Rehab’95, PhD’13, Associate Professor, School of Rehabilitation Therapy; Director, Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Queen’s University

Dr. Catherine Donnelly’s research is focused on primary care with an emphasis on supporting older adults in the community. Her work as the research lead with Oasis Senior Supportive Living Program has looked at how naturally occurring retirement communities can be used to integrate community supports and build social connections. Dr. Donnelly is widely recognized as an excellent educator and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Faculty of Health Sciences Education Award (2018–2019) and the Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching (2014).

Contact: catherine.donnelly@queensu.ca

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