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The NIA Welcomes Interim Executive Director Mark Hazelden as Alyssa Brierley Begins Maternity Leave |
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We are pleased to share that our Executive Director, Alyssa Brierley, will begin her maternity leave shortly as she welcomes twins into her family. We extend our warmest wishes to Alyssa during this exciting time and wish her a joyful and restful leave. Her last scheduled day in the office will be April 11, 2025.
During her leave, we are thrilled to welcome Mark Hazelden as our Interim Executive Director, who joined the NIA on March 24, 2025. As we continue to drive forward our vision to build a Canada where older adults feel valued, included, supported, and better prepared to age with confidence, we are confident that Mark’s leadership will help sustain our momentum through 2025 and into 2026.
Mark joined the NIA after nine years of exceptional leadership at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where he served as the Senior Director of Partnerships at The Dais and was a co-founding member of the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship. Throughout his time at TMU, Mark has been instrumental in building strong partnerships and driving consequential policy initiatives that have left a lasting mark on the university community and Canada’s innovation ecosystem. We are confident that his deep expertise in policy development and cross-sector collaboration will be invaluable to the NIA.
We are excited to welcome Mark to the NIA team and look forward to the expertise and leadership he will bring to the role. Please join us in welcoming him as we continue our mission to improve the lives of older Canadians. |
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Five Years Since the Global Pandemic that Shaped the Lives of Older People – We’ve Learned a Lot, Yet There is a Long Way to Go.
By Gregor Sneddon, Alyssa Brierley |
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Five years have passed since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, a once-in-a-generation event that touched every person globally and has directly and indirectly shaped societies, politics, economies and health systems. In light of the National Day of Observance for COVID-19, the International Federation on Ageing, the National Institute on Ageing, the Healthcare Coalition of Alberta, Immunity Canada, and CanAge calls on Canadians to reflect on the outsized impact of the pandemic on older people, compile lessons learned but also consider the way forward to continue combatting COVID-19 and protecting the lives of older people.
March 11 is the annual National Day of Observance for COVID-19, a day to acknowledge the devastating impact of the pandemic on the lives of Canadians and honour and remember all those who experienced sickness, loss of life, and suffering due to COVID-19, including those that continue to be significantly impacted by the virus. |
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| Read The Full Commentary Here |
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The NIA and RTOERO Proudly Announce the 2024 Canadian Leadership in Ageing Award Winners! |
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In partnership with RTOERO, the NIA hosted the 2024 Canadian Leadership in Ageing Awards competition. These awards recognize and celebrate outstanding leadership demonstrated by both graduate and undergraduate students across Canada.
The Undergraduate Student Prize ($1,000) was awarded to Queen's University student Nikita Chopra. Nikita won the 2023 Queen’s University Institute for Health Improvement Case Competition for her Ontario Program of Assisted Alternative Care (OPAAC), addressing inequities from Bill 7: More Beds, Better Care Act. Her four-stage policy proposal repurposes existing infrastructure to improve care options for older adults. She aims to raise awareness of health care inequities affecting Canada’s ageing population.
The Graduate Student Prize ($1,000) was awarded to Josee Sunday, a master's student in Healthcare Management at McMaster University. A Mohawk woman from the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation, Josee works as an Indigenous Transition Facilitator at Providence Care Hospital, improving Indigenous access to care. Josee has rewritten policies to support traditional medicines, implemented a smudging policy at her workplace and enhanced communication between hospitals and Indigenous communities, strengthening health information sharing.
Congratulations to the 2024 Canadian Leadership in Ageing Award recipients! |
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Leading and Innovating at the Forefront of Ageing Well: Innovation in Ageing Symposium |
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We were pleased to participate in the Aging Symposium hosted by the Brenda Strafford Foundation and Dr. Barrie Strafford Centre for Learning, Innovation & Quality (CLIQ) Innovation earlier this month at Platform Calgary.
Dr. Samir Sinha, the NIA’s Director of Health Policy Research, delivered a keynote on Leading and Innovating at the Forefront of Ageing Well. With one in four Canadians set to be 65+ within a decade and 91% preferring to age at home, embracing innovative and sustainable care models that leverage technology and better enable ageing in the right place is more critical than ever.
The insights shared by Dr. Sinha reinforced the need for systemic reform that prioritizes home and community care, supports the workforce and integrates technology while maintaining the human touch in health care. The NIA remains committed to driving these conversations and advocating for policies that support the wellbeing of older Canadians. |
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Township of King Workshop on Social Isolation and Loneliness |
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This month, Natalie Iciaszczyk, Research Program Manager (Survey) at the NIA, led a workshop on social isolation and loneliness for older adults in the Township of King. The session explored social isolation and loneliness, their effects on health and wellbeing and practical ways for older adults to stay socially engaged. Attendees also learned about local resources and programs in the Township of King that support connection, physical activity, and lifelong learning. We’re grateful for the chance to connect with community members to help promote healthy ageing for older adults. |
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Ageing in Place or Nowhere to Go? Why Canada Must Embrace NORCs to Fix Its Home Care Crisis |
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By: Gabrielle, Gallant, Director of Policy, NIA, Catherine Donnelly PhD Reg OT, Director – Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Associate Professor, Queen’s University, Co-Lead - Oasis Communities for Aging Well, Vincent DePaul PT PhD, Associate Professor, Queen’s University, Co-Lead - Oasis Communities for Aging Well
A recent survey conducted by the NIA sheds light on the challenges older Canadians face in accessing home care as they struggle to age in their homes and communities – highlighting the critical need for innovation in health and homecare delivery. The NIA’s Ageing in Canada Survey highlights a significant gap between the desire of older adults to remain in their homes and the availability of adequate home care services to support them – with a startling 48% of older adults unable to access the home and community care services they need.
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| Read The Full Commentary Here |
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We’re excited to welcome Suzanne (Suzy) Wilcox to the NIA as our new Director of Partnerships and Development!
A seasoned fundraising leader, Suzy loves building relationships that create positive change. With decades of experience in both the non-profit and corporate sectors, she brings a wealth of expertise to the NIA.
A Princeton graduate with an MBA from U of T’s Rotman School, Suzy has worked in development, strategic planning, and marketing. She’s raised significant funds for groups such as the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Akin, Junior Achievement of Central Ontario and, most recently, led Evergreen’s fundraising team, which secures significant investment for public space projects to make Canada's cities more green and inclusive.
Welcome to the team, Suzy! We’re thrilled to have you.
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We’re pleased to share a new resource from RESPIPLUS—the Pneumococcal Vaccination Report for Canada, developed with expert contributions from the NIA. This comprehensive report highlights critical insights and recommendations to improve vaccination rates among high-risk populations.
Key insights from the report include the importance of vaccination, barriers to care such as access challenges and vaccine hesitancy, and actionable strategies to enhance awareness and improve accessibility.
Read the full report here: Pneumococcal Vaccination Report
Canada’s Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors Forum held productive discussions on key priorities to support current and future generations of older Canadians. The meeting was co-chaired by Canada’s Minister of Seniors, the Honourable Joanne Thompson and New Brunswick’s Minister responsible for Women’s Equality and Seniors, the Honourable Lyne Chantal Boudreau. Read the full statement here: Government of Canada Website
Defy Dementia Episode 21: The Heart of a Healthy Brain
This episode of Defy Dementia delves deep into the cardiovascular risk factors of dementia, such as blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and exercise. Nicole McLachlan shares her experience suffering from a heart attack as a fit and healthy 42-year-old and her subsequent road to recovery. Then, Dr. Paul Oh (Toronto Rehabilitation Institute) discusses the latest research on how heart health impacts brain health. Tune in to learn how to make small changes to your lifestyle to protect your heart and reduce your dementia risk.
Listen here: https://www.baycrest.org/podcast/episode-21
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WEBINAR: Challenging Dementia Stigma Through Dance: Screening & Discussion of Dancer Not Dementia
Monday, April 24, 12:00-1:00 PM EST |
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Join us on Apr 24, 2025 12:00 PM Eastern Time for a screening of the documentary "Dancer Not Dementia: A Short Film", followed by a Q&A moderated by NIA's Dr. Madison Brydges featuring researchers Dr. Pia Kontos from the KITE Research Institute, University Health Network and Dr. Rachel Bar from Canada’s National Ballet School.
This film showcases the transformative power of dance to bring joy, creativity, and social connectedness to the lives of dancers living with dementia. |
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| Register Here |
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Sector Events: |
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TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund |
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Help create a Canada where older adults feel valued, included, supported, and better prepared to age with confidence by making a charitable gift to the TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund today. Gifts to the TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund make a tangible impact on the future of ageing in Canada. You choose the amount. You make the difference. Donate now! |
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| DONATE TODAY! |
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