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Centre for Education and Research on Aging

Spotlight & events

Upcoming events

AFU

CERA Series - Winter

When: Every Wednesday - March 6 -27
Time: 10:00 - 11:20pm
Where: CEP A1105

Four session by UFV CERA faculty associates presenting on various topics.

CERA Day 2023 - Mindfulness walk

2024 CERA Day

When: October 4, 2024
Time: 9am - 2pm 
Where: Chilliwack campus

SAVE THE DATE!

CERA will once again be hosting a one-day, FREE event! CERA Day 2024 will highlight UFV's 50th anniversary along with Chilliwack ElderCollege's 25th anniversary. Refreshment and lunch will be generously provided by the Chilliwack ElderCollege.

More information to come...

 

Spotlight

Lifetime Learning Centre

Mission Lifetime Learning Centre collaborates with UFV

UFV professor Shelley Canning became interested in the concept of ageism through years of experience as a clinician.

Canning initially was a cancer care nurse before moving on to nurse in the community. Most of her patients were older, but it took her a while to realize her experience and passion in working with them.

Now, Canning is a nursing professor at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) and the director of the school’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA).

Trishaw

Become a trishaw pilot

‌Join UFV Trishaw Rides as a pilot! All pilots will receive bike training. The bike is electric-assist but takes some getting used to. Additionally, CERA Director, Dr. Shelley Canning, will host a workshop on working with older adults living with dementia. 
If you're interested in building intergenerational relationships, getting active, and helping older adults enjoy the outdoors, sign up to start making a difference.

 

projections art exhibit

Projections: An exhibition about social perceptions

Projections - an art exhibition addressing social perceptions and imagined truths. The exhibit explored questions arising from cross-generational beliefs about aging and dementia. 

 

Read the story

UFV is BC's first to achieve Age-Friendly University status

BA student, Kathleen Paddington, assisted with the AFU audit and report. In the fall of 2019, after a one-year break for university which turned into 50 years, Kathleen resumed her academic journey at the age of 68.
 

Event

Age-Friendly University Celebration

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our #AgeFriendly University status accomplishment! Learn more about the Age-Friendly University initiative.
 

Podcast

Nursing shortage, healthcare & ageism in BC

CERA Director, Dr. Shelley Canning, sits down with Aaron Pete from Bigger Than Me Podcast to discuss careers in nursing, the challenges health care professionals face, and what improvements can be made. Dr. Canning highlights her research on quality of life, perceptions of seniors, the Gero Nurses podcast, and ageism. 

Cody Berends

The Exploration of UFV's Built Environment in Pursuit of an Age-Friendly Designation

This project aims to have UFV receive the first age-friendly designation in BC and join the age friendly university (AFU) global network of over 80 universities. There is a list of guiding principles provides by the AFU initiative which includes appropriate programs, health and wellness initiatives, and proactive engagement to invite older adults to learn on campus and have them feel welcome. Another important aspect of age friendliness, and the aspect in which I have been focussing, is that of accessibility at UFV’s campuses with regard to the built environment, the infrastructure. 

Cycling Without Age

Cycling Without Age partnership

UFV’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA) is excited to announce a new partnership with Cycling Without Age YarrowU‌FV's Kinesiology professor, Alison Pritchard-Orr, and mom, Muriel, hit the road in tri-shaw bike "Daisy"! The tri-shaws are 3-wheeled, electric-assist bikes with seating up front which promotes unobstructed views and conversation. Getting out on a bike boosts everyone’s spirits and mental health with fun experiences. In the coming months, we'll be in need of volunteer pilots. More information to come.

 

Larissa Kowalski

Student research gigs led to passion for sociology for Larissa Kowalski

Larissa Kowalski made a big leap when she enrolled at UFV. She was the first in her family to attend university. Making the even bigger leap from student to researcher during her undergraduate years gave her the knowledge, skills, and confidence she needed to successfully apply to and complete a graduate degree.

Covid-19 presentation

Adapting to a pandemic world: COVID-19 research at UFV

Join UFV's leading research minds to discuss how COVID-19 research is informing our understanding. Topics include:

  • Mitigating the Effects of Epidemic/Pandemic Outbreaks on Temporary Foreign Agricultural Workers and Farm Operations in British Columbia
  • Developing travel readiness strategies for Chinese and South Asian populations in the Fraser Valley who regularly travel back to their countries of origin to visit friends and relatives
  • Social Isolation & Loneliness in the Face of COVID-19: An Examination of the Outcomes & the Key Protective/Predictive Factors
  • Nursing students and seniors: Using technology to maintain social connections during COVID-19

gero nurses podcast

GeroNurses - Tales from the front

In September 2021, the Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA) in collaboration the Gerontological Nurses of BC, launched its first podcast to share the unique, uplifting, and sometimes challenging experiences of the diverse group of practitioners involved in gerontological nursing. The podcast: Gero Nurses: Tales from the front, has now released three episodes.

penpal program

Pen Pal program connects generations during the pandemic

Adrienne, 78 years old, gets nostalgic when she thinks about the power of the written letter. This year, Adrienne rediscovered her passion for letter writing when she joined a pen pal program between seniors and elementary school-aged children. This intergenerational connection pilot study was conducted by Dr. Shelley Canning, the director for UFV’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA) in collaboration with Chilliwack’s Elder College, which provides adults over the age of 50 with access to educational learning opportunities.

"It's cool to feel like I can see the window of nursing research and what it looks like. It can be more clinically based or really people-focused, but it kind of intersects because it is tying in sociology and other areas, but it’s still nursing."

Rosaley Klassen, Nursing


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