SFU Gerontology

06/24/2026

Explore how urban design, public policy & social space shape healthy longevity for marginalized communities. Featuring Assistant Professor Mei Fang, Alex Li & Alexis Coulourides Kogan.

🗓️ July 8 from 6:00-7:30 pm (PT)
📍Webinar

Register: https://usc.zoom.us/meeting/register/5JoqVZ_fQo-Hz0tF_ALhNw #/registration

06/23/2026

Congratulations to Habib Chaudhury on his appointment to the National Seniors Council for a three‑year term! His expertise in dementia‑inclusive and age‑friendly design will help advance the well‑being of older Canadians.

Read more:

Older Canadians are vital and valued members of communities across the country. As Canada’s population ages, ensuring that seniors can live with dignity, safety, and comfort remains a key priority. That is why the Government of Canada draws on diverse perspectives and expertise to inform this ongo...

06/22/2026

The Aging in the Right Place team is hiring a Post‑Doctoral Fellow with Dr. Atiya Mahmood. Ideal for emerging scholars with community‑engaged research experience and interests in aging, housing, and homelessness. Application reviews begin Aug 15.

Full job description: https://www.sfu.ca/gerontology/about/employment.html

06/15/2026

As extreme heat, cold weather, and power outages become more common, it is important to know how to keep ourselves and our homes safe. Join COALESCE and Technical Safety BC on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM for a free webinar featuring practical, everyday tips for staying comfortable during temperature extremes, safely using common heating, cooling, and backup power equipment, and preparing for power outages. Participants will also learn about trusted community resources and have an opportunity to ask questions and share experiences.

Practical Tips for Staying Safe at Home During Extreme Heat, Cold Weather & Power Outages: https://sfu.zoom.us/j/87010999728?pwd=nlXvxUYVyDHbEx1YvFXATbrd32qcpo.1 (registration not required)

05/29/2026

“It's important to highlight the dual stigma that people in the dementia community often experience – the stigma of aging and the discrimination that comes with living with dementia,” says Kishore Seetharaman, post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Gerontology.

Navigating Vancouver’s streets on foot can feel somewhat perilous. Cars, cyclists and e-scooters come at you from all directions. Construction shuts off walkways leading to diversions. Sidewalks are often uneven and in need of repair.

05/26/2026

How do genealogical technologies reshape family dynamics?

Join Simon Fraser University | Continuing Studies for a free lecture featuring Barbara Mitchell on “Family History, Genealogy and ‘Long-Lost Relatives’: The Psycho-Social Impacts of DNA Testing Discoveries in Mid and Later Life.”

📍SFU Harbour Centre Campus
🗓 June 9 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/family-history-genealogy-and-long-lost-relatives-tickets-1987960479308?aff=livewhale&_gl=1*fqhl4n*_gcl_au*MTU0MzUxNTUzMC4xNzczOTU3NzIy*_ga*MTUzODQwNjY3MS4xNzczOTU3NzIy*_ga_R4BCVYL1QF*czE3NzgxODExMzAkbzU4JGcwJHQxNzc4MTgxMTM0JGo1NiRsMCRoMA..

Join SFU’s Liberal Arts and 55+ Program for a free lecture on Tue, June 9.

05/20/2026

At 12 years old, associate professor Theodore Cosco began volunteering at a long-term care facility to support his grandmother, who was experiencing early symptoms of dementia.

That experience inspired a career focused on mental health, aging, and technology-driven health research.

Learn more about his work, supported by Michael Smith Health Research BC:

Research with impact often starts at home. For Dr. Theodore Cosco, it began with his grandmother’s journey with dementia.

05/07/2026

We are pleased to share the recordings from the 33rd John K. Friesen Conference. Thank you to all the speakers and attendees who contributed to such thoughtful and engaging discussions!

Access the recordings: https://www.sfu.ca/grc/events/friesen/2026.html

05/04/2026

🌍 Climate Change & Aging: A Community Conversation

On April 21st, the Inclusive Environments Lab was proud to support the Women's Age Lab at Women's College Hospital in hosting a World Café at the SFU Centre for Dialogue, bringing together people with lived experience, community members, researchers, and advocates to explore the intersection of climate change and aging.

Guided by three powerful questions, participants reflected on what it truly means to grow older in a changing climate:
Feel — exploring personal emotions and lived experiences with climate change and aging.
Think — examining existing supports and identifying the gaps in our communities.
Act — envisioning collaboration, who needs to be included, and where we should focus our efforts and actions to drive real change.

The World Café is one of the knowledge mobilization approaches their lab is adapting. It is a structured, collaborative dialogue process designed to facilitate open conversation, knowledge sharing, and collective wisdom. It creates space for voices that are too often missing from research and policy conversations to be truly heard.

This is just the beginning. The Inclusive Environments Lab is committed to continuing to explore innovative ways to bridge research, community, and action, and they look forward to sharing more along the way. 💚

04/09/2026

This Earth Day (April 22), the Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre spotlights climate change in an aging world 🌎

Older Canadians are already experiencing the impacts—and helping drive solutions through community action and shared knowledge.

Join the conversation April 22–23.

Learn more: https://www.sfu.ca/grc/stories/blog/earth-day-friesen.html

The 33rd John K. Friesen Conference on Climate Change in an Aging World will bring together members of the public, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.