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Dr. Shelley Canning is an Associate Professor in Nursing at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is the Director of UFV’s Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), and a Research Associate with the Health & Social Innovation Hub (CHASI). Shelley is currently the President of the Gerontological Nurses’ Association of British Columbia.

Shelley completed her doctoral studies in the School of Nursing at UBC where her dissertation research explored issues of engagement, meaning, and quality of life for older adults with advanced dementia living in LTC. Shelley obtained her BSN (hons) and MSN from UBC, and prior to this completed a BSc and secondary school teaching certificate (subjects: Chemistry and Literature) at the University of Victoria. Her nursing practice background includes palliative oncology and community health. She has been a faculty member at UFV since 2006 primarily teaching gerontology content. Shelley has been involved in a variety of departmental and institutional committees. She is currently a member of the UFV Board of Governors, the Senate Research Committee Chair, and member of the Research Advisory Council. Her teaching is geared towards developing professionalism and supporting best practice with a focus on the care of older people including those living with dementia. Shelley also strives to integrate an understanding of the importance of research in supporting evidence informed practice through teaching students in Directed Studies.

PhD - University of British Columbia

MSN - University of British Columbia

BSN (hons) - University of British Columbia

PDP - Secondary Teaching Certificate, University of Victoria

BSc - Microbiology & Biochemistry, University of Victoria

British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives
Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia
Gerontological Nurses’ Association of BC
Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association
Canadian Association on Ageing

• Person-centred care
• Ageing and dementia
• Nursing professionalism

• Aging & ageism
• Dementia & personhood
• Arts-based methods
• Intergenerational connections
• Long-term care

• Alzheimer’s Society of Canada
• CIHR Travel Award
• UFV Faculty of Health Sciences Research Grant
• UBC Hampton Endowment Research Fund
• SSHRC Aid for Small Universities Grant
• UFV Faculty of Professional Studies Research Initiative Fund

Note: * indicates UFV student

International Conferences:

Canning, S., & St-Martin, E. (2021). Navigating Arts-based Artefacts: Exploring Children’s Drawings and Letters in an Intergenerational Pen Pals Project. Thinking Qualitatively International Conference. Virtual Conference, July. (poster)

Hung, L., Gregorio, M., Jackson, L., Mann, J., Berndt, A., Wallsworth, C., Wong, L., Leitch, S., Gan, D., Canning, S., Chaudhury, H., & Phinney, A. (2020). Creating a Dementia-Friendly Community for Social Inclusion: a Scoping Review. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Virtual Conference, July. (poster)

Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2019). Living with advanced dementia: continued attempts and enduring abilities. International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden, May.

Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2019). Observations of the observed: use of video-data to illuminate the experiences of living with advanced dementia. International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden, May.

Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2018). Narrative methods for navigating movement between times and places in advanced dementia. Narrative Matters, Enschede, Netherlands, July.

Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2018). Slow data and slow data gathering narrate journeys through advanced dementia. Narrative Matters, Enschede, Netherlands, July. (poster presentation)

Canning, S., Phinney, A. (2018). Researcher roles and reflexivity: challenges and implications of the nurse-researcher. 2018 Qualitative Methods Conference, Banff, Alberta, May.

National Conferences:

Canning, S. E., Hung, L., Kaur, J., McKenzie, M., & St-Martin, G. (2022) Implementing a Dementia- Friendly Care Approach for Cancer Patients Living with Dementia. Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, October, Victoria.

Canning, S. E., Blakeborough, D., Corman, M., Couse, C., Hatfield, G., Hughes, A., Jessiman, Murray, G., & Pritchard Orr, A. (2022) How age-friendly are we? Conducting an age-friendly university audit. Canadian Association on Ageing, October, Regina

Canning, S. E., St-Martin, E., Brown, J., Cusick, N*., & Klassen, R.*, & Couse, C. (2022) Introducing age and dementia awareness learning activities to school children. Canadian Association on Ageing, October, Regina.
Canning, S. E., St-Martin, E., Ramirez Luis, Z., * & C. Couse, (2022) Employing arts-based methods to explore perceptions of age and dementia among school children. Canadian Association on Ageing, October, Regina.

Canning, S., Cusick, N.*, Klassen, R.*, Hung, L., Affleck, F., & Phinney, A. (2021). Nursing students and seniors: using technology to maintain social connections during Covid19. Canadian Association on Ageing Conference, Oct.

Canning, S., Cusick, N.*, Klassen, R.*, Hung, L., Affleck, F., & Phinney, A. (2021). Nursing students and seniors: using technology to maintain social connections during Covid19. Canadian Association on Ageing Conference, Oct.

Canning, S., Cusick, N*, Kwidzinski, L., & Blakeborough, D. (2021). Looking back: remembering an intergenerational ballet programme. Canadian Association on Ageing Conference, Oct.

Canning, S., & St-Martin E. (2021). Intergenerational pen pals: bridging social isolation through narratives. Canadian Gerontological Nurses’ Association Conference, April.

Drew, C.*, & Canning, S. (2021). Exploring the understanding and comfort levels of nursing students with medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Canadian Gerontological Nurses’ Association Conference, April. (poster presentation)
Jessiman, L., Canning, S., Hysniu, B.*, Drew, C.*, & Myge, I*. (2018). Age-friendly universities, the ideal setting to reduce ageist opinions and beliefs. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (poster presentation)

Jessiman, L., Canning, S., & Yeo, B*. (2018). The Absence of Appropriate Care: An Examination of Older & Younger Adult’s Perceptions of Elder Abuse. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (poster presentation)

Jessiman, L., Canning, S., Hysniu, B.*, Drew, C.*, & Myge, I*. (2018). Age-friendly universities, the ideal setting to reduce ageist opinions and beliefs. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (poster presentation)

Canning, S. (2018). Sharing the sameness: a window on long-term care residents’ experiences and perspectives. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (symposium participant)

Regional Conferences:

Canning, S. (2021). Age-friendliness: promoting awareness and opportunities. Gerontological Nurses Association Annual Conference, Victoria April. (invited presenter)

Canning, S. (2020). How vestiges of the past point to the meaning in the present for people living with advanced dementia. Gerontological Nurses Association of BC. Vancouver, April.

Canning, S. (2019). Exploring the link between the arts and well-being: how arts-based interventions support the well-being of persons living with dementia. Trinity Western University, Langley, September.

Canning, S. E., & Drew, C*. (2022). Exploring the understanding and comfort levels of nursing students with medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Quality Advancement in Nursing Education, 8(2). DOI:10.17483/2368-6669.1326

Canning, S. E. (2020). Understanding the experience of emotional and social engagement for people with advanced dementia living in long-term care. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of British Columbia. Retrieved from University of British Columbia: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/76261

Canning, S., & Blakeborough, D. (2019) Intergenerational Dance in Long-term Care: An Opportunity for Social Citizenship for Older Adults Living with Dementia. BC Studies, no. 202 Summer, 167-179.

Blakeborough, D., & Canning, S. (2019) Intergenerational Dance in Long-term Care: An Opportunity for Social Citizenship for Older Adults Living with Dementia. BC Studies, no. 202 Summer, (Practice Exemplar).

Canning, S. E., Gaetz, M., & Blakeborough, D. (2020). It takes time: Building relationships and understanding through an inter-generational ballet programme. Dementia, 19(2), 270-284. doi.org/10.1177/1471301218772895

Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2015). Data collection and knowledge translation through documentary film: ‘They Aren’t Scary’. Perspectives, 38(1), 6-12.

Canning, S. (1995). The experience of nurses caring for young-middle aged patients dying of cancer. (Masters Thesis, University of British Columbia). Retrieved from University of British Columbia on-line access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/4152