CIHR-IA Summer Program in Aging 2024
Ageism and Health Research, Delivery, and Outcomes in Older Adults
The CIHR Institute of Aging Summer Program in Aging (SPA) 2024, hosted by the UBC Centre for Aging SMART at Vancouver Coastal Health and led by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, was a rich and interactive event for the over 40 trainees, mentors, invited speakers, and community partners who attended. SPA 2024 delved deep into the multifaceted issue of ageism through a comprehensive and holistic lens. The 5-day capacity building program specifically focused on the impact ageism has on health research, delivery, and outcomes in older adults.
SPA attendees were greeted to a typical rainy Vancouver day upon arrival at the UBC Point Grey campus, but the weather soon cleared during the week, allowing for a memorable team-building scavenger hunt where trainees bonded with each other. The program featured inspiring and insightful keynote presentations from global experts on ageism, including talks from Drs. Julie Ober Allen, Iggy E-Shien Chang, Carole Estabrooks, and Sibila Marques. A considerable highlight was the panel of People with Lived Experience (PWLE) with Jim Mann, Elder Glida Morgan, and Lily Wong who shared their expertise and valuable insights. Notable sessions covered topics on cultural narratives on ageism and sociological perspectives, along with impactful talks on research that drives changes in healthcare and implementation trials. SPA 2024 truly underscored the value of interdisciplinary approaches in tackling complex issues like ageism. A major success was the Making the Leap from Trainee to PI panel, where the panel of postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers shared their perspectives and strategies on making the transition from trainee to independent investigators in Canada and abroad. The program also emphasized building Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) considerations into grant proposals and provided hands-on experience with CIHR grant submissions and reviews, supplemented by presentations on how to write lay and scientific summaries and ways to move forward after a grant is rejected.
SPA 2024 left a lasting impact on trainees, with nearly half of the participants expressing intentions to collaborate with mentors, peers, and speakers in future projects. Emphasizing EDI, fostering reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities, and including older adults' voices in research highlighted the importance of considering diverse perspectives to drive meaningful change in healthcare and social policies. These sessions heightened trainees' awareness of their social responsibility as researchers and the importance of combating ageism in their work and daily lives. The program equipped the next generation of researchers with essential tools, knowledge, and networks.
The Centre for Aging SMART wishes to thank the core organizing committee, Victoria Cirone, Dr. Jennifer Davis, Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Amanda Main, and Dr. Guilherme Moraes Balbim, as well as all our mentors, Drs. Jennifer Davis, Janice Eng, Kristen Haase, Julia Henderson, Christiane Hoppmann, Lillian Hung, Laura Hurd, Karen Li, Linda Li, Laura Middleton, and Ben Mortenson, and speakers, Drs Pat Camp, Liang Hsu, Ken Madden, Taru Manyanga, Kiran Rabheru, Parminder Raina, Jane Rylett, Eric Smith, Roger Tam, Clara Tsui, Roger Wong, CIHR, and Seniors First BC. A special thank you goes to all the trainees who participated and engaged themselves fully in this intensive program! SPA 2024 was a testament to the power of collaborative learning and the impact of bringing many minds together to address the pervasive issue of ageism.
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