Healthy Aging CORE Research Spotlight: April

Research Spotlight: Generations United

The mission of Generations United is to improve the lives of children, youth, and older people in the USA through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs for the enduring benefit of all. Generations United works with member organizations, partners and stakeholders, in the following areas of focus: Grandfamilies, Community Building and Intergenerational Programs & Spaces. They have a robust resource library where you can find a variety of intergenerational resources.

New Research on CORE

• [Report] Strengthening Cultural Responsiveness in Intergenerational Programs: Passion, Purpose, and Planning to Drive Equitable Change (Generations United)

New Statistics Canada Reports

Employment by choice and necessity among Canadian-born and immigrant seniors

This article uses data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and examines the degree to which Canadian-born and immigrant seniors aged 65 to 74 worked by choice or necessity in 2022. A key finding from this report is that of all Canadian-born and immigrant seniors aged 65 to 74, 21% were employed (9% reported working by necessity and 12% reported working by choice).

New Journal Articles

Open Access Articles: Articles that are free and accessible to the general public.

Bogdan, E., Krueger, R., Wright, J., Woods, K., & Cottar, S. (2024). Disaster Awareness and Preparedness Among Older Adults in Canada Regarding Floods, Wildfires, and Earthquakes. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-024-00555-9

The authors used a survey and focus groups (n = 161 and n = 10, respectively) to explore disaster awareness and preparedness among older adults, and found that awareness and preparedness are low. The two main recommendations arising from this research were: 1) improve awareness and preparedness with tailor-made emergency preparedness materials for older adults and 2) adopt community-based approaches to disaster preparedness through existing community groups to strengthen social connections with a focus on locally specific hazards.

Walsh, C. A., Dukart, A., Roger, K., & Goodridge, D. (2024). Disclosure and Reporting of Abuse Against Older Adults: Perspectives of Older Adults with Abuse Histories and Service Providers in Alberta, Canada. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2024.2339990

This qualitative study explored the barriers and facilitators of disclosure and reporting of abuse against older adults. Interviews were conducted with 10 older adults with lived experience of abuse and 10 service providers working directly with this population. Barriers to reporting abuse included uncertainty as to what constitutes abuse; the minimization or denial of abuse; experience of social isolation; interpersonal factors (e.g., relationship with the person who perpetrated the violence); cultural, gender, and social norms and expectations; the complexity of the reporting system; and the lack of appropriate service. Facilitators of disclosing and reporting elder abuse included the importance of having trusting relationships, feeling empowered to make decisions, and having the ability to determine the pace of the intervention/disclosure.

 Calls for Abstracts for Upcoming Conferences

Canadian Association on Gerontology

The Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG) is pleased to announce a Call for Abstracts for CAG2024, our 53rd Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting. The meeting will be held October 24-26, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at the Delta Hotels Edmonton South Conference Centre. Abstracts are due May 1, 2024.