As June comes to a close, I’m reflecting on a month that recognizes older adults, Pride and National Indigenous History, three important opportunities to celebrate the diversity, contributions and experiences that strengthen communities across Canada.

This month, the NIA continued to bring together evidence, expertise and lived experience to help shape a better future for ageing in Canada. Highlights include:

• Advancing community-based supports: We joined leaders from across the country at the Community-Based Seniors’ Services (CBSS) Sector Summit in Winnipeg and launched a national consultation on our draft report, Have Your Say: Shaping the Future of Community-Based Seniors’ Services in Canada.

• Sharing Canadian leadership globally: Dr. Samir Sinha and I attended the 3^rd World Congress of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in San Sebastian, Spain, where we exchanged ideas with international experts working to create more inclusive and supportive environments for older adults.

• Releasing new research and resources: During Social Isolation and Loneliness Awareness Week, we launched a new infographic highlighting the growing impact of social isolation and loneliness among older Canadians. We also released a new report examining older Canadians’ experiences with virtual care, challenging common assumptions about ageing and technology.

• Casting Call: Help change the conversation around dementia. Have You Ever Been Worried About Memory Changes—In Yourself or Someone You Love? The NIA is launching the next phase of Small Steps, Big Difference, a national public education campaign focused on helping Canadians recognize changes in memory, thinking and mood and encouraging earlier conversations and support and we are looking for participants.
  

Thank you for your continued engagement with the NIA’s work. 

Alyssa Brierley
Executive Director
National Institute on Ageing

Strengthening Community Supports for Older Canadians

The NIA was pleased to join community leaders, service providers, policymakers and researchers in Winnipeg this month for the Community-Based Seniors Services (CBSS) Sector Summit hosted by HelpAge Canada..

At the summit, Dr. Sinha, the NIA’s Director of Health Policy Research presented the Summit’s closing keynote talk, where he shared the findings and insights from the NIA’s new draft research report, It’s Time to Unleash the Power of Canada’s Community-Based Seniors Services Sector to Better Enable Healthy Ageing and Ageing in the Right Place , which examines the current state of the CBSS Sector across Canada and in other countries around the world and highlights the critical role community-based organizations play in helping older Canadians age well and age in the right place. The report also identifies opportunities and a series of recommendations to strengthen its sustainability, growth and overall impact.

At the Summit the NIA’s Policy Team, Director of Policy Talia Bronstein and Liz McGuire Senior Policy Analyst, shared the NIA’s public engagement resources such as the NIA’s Ageing in Canada Survey Provincial and Territorial One-Pagers and the NIA’s National Guide on Vaccines for Older Canadians and its Provincial and Territorial Vaccine One-Pagers for Older Canadians.

NIA Contributing to Policy Roadmap to Address Non-Medical Needs of Alberta's Aging Population

The NIA is pleased to participate in developing a Policy Roadmap, co-created by Healthy Aging Alberta with government and sector partners, to address the growing non-medical needs of Alberta's aging population. Talia Bronstein, Director of Policy, has joined the Economic Modelling and Research and Evaluation working groups. We look forward to supporting this important work and are grateful to Healthy Aging Alberta for its leadership in engaging stakeholders across the province to strengthen community-based seniors services. 

Welcome Annie Hodgins, NIA Associate Fellow

The National Institute on Ageing is pleased to welcome Annie Hodgins as an Associate Fellow. Annie is a respected public policy and housing systems leader whose work has focused on advancing housing rights, social inclusion and equitable access to services for vulnerable populations. With extensive experience leading national policy, advocacy and community-based initiatives, Annie brings valuable expertise at the intersection of housing, ageing and social wellbeing. As an Associate Fellow, she will help strengthen the NIA’s work to advance evidence-informed solutions that support older Canadians to age with dignity, security and independence.

New NIA Resource: Social Isolation and Loneliness

New NIA Report: Older, Online and Open to Virtual Care

Have You Ever Been Worried About Memory Changes—In Yourself or Someone You Love?

The NIA is launching the next phase of Small Steps, Big Difference, a national public education campaign focused on helping Canadians recognize changes in memory, thinking and mood and encouraging earlier conversations and support.

We're looking for adults aged 40+ who have experienced concerns about memory changes, whether in themselves, a parent, spouse, family member or friend.

Your stories about how you noticed changes in loved one’s memories, or the difficult conversations you faced, will provide a meaningful backdrop to our new NIA resources. 

• Filming Dates: July 21, 2026

• Location: Toronto (exact location TBD)

• Who We’re Looking For: Adults 40+ with a personal connection to dementia

Want to share your story? Email us at info.nia@torontomu.ca with “Casting Call” in the subject line.

3^rd World Congress for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities

Sandi Pelly, Waltons Trust; Alyssa Brierley, NIA; Margaret Gillis, ILC Canada; Kahir Lalji, HelpAge Canada; Dr. Samir Sinha; Samuèle Rémillard-Boilard, Universite de Sherbrooke; Vincent DePaul, OASIS

This month, Executive Director Alyssa Brierley and Director of Health Policy Research Dr. Samir Sinha attended the 3rd World Congress of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, an international gathering of researchers, policymakers and community leaders in San Sebastian, Spain, focused on creating more inclusive and supportive environments for older adults. The congress provided an opportunity to share Canadian perspectives and learn from innovative approaches being implemented worldwide to support healthy ageing and age-friendly communities.

Recognized Among Global Actuarial Thought Leaders

The NIA is proud to celebrate Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security Research and Co-Lead of the NIA’s Pension Centre of Excellence, on being named to Consult Clarity’s list of 50 Outstanding Actuarial Thought Leaders Globally. Dr. MacDonald is one of only a small number of Canadians recognized on this international list, which highlights influential voices advancing the actuarial profession through research, innovation and thought leadership.

A Fellow of both the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, Dr. MacDonald is internationally recognized for her work on retirement income security, pensions and the financial implications of population ageing. Through her research at the NIA, she continues to help shape policies and practical solutions that improve financial security for older Canadians.

Congratulations, Bonnie-Jeanne, on this well-deserved recognition. Learn more here.

Dr. Samir Sinha Appointed to National and Provincial Advisory Roles

Christian Whalen - Public Trustee for New Brunswick, Lyne Chantal Boudreau Minister responsible for Seniors Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity, Rob McKee Minister of Justice Attorney General Minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health Services

The NIA's Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research, has been appointed to the Council of Canadian Academies' Expert Panel on Supporting the Use of Technologies for Aging in Place. Convened at the request of the National Research Council of Canada, the panel will examine how technologies can help older adults remain safely, independently and comfortably in their homes and communities as they age.

In addition, Dr. Sinha has been invited to join New Brunswick’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on the Future of Older Adults and Long-Term Care, where he will contribute his expertise to help inform the province’s long-term vision for supporting older adults.

These appointments reflect the NIA’s ongoing commitment to advancing evidence-informed policies and solutions that support healthy ageing, ageing in the right place and improved quality of life for older Canadians.

ICYMI: Equity in Dementia Care: What Are the Gaps and How Can We Improve Care for the People Who Need It Most?

This Pride Month, the NIA hosted a timely discussion on the inequities that many people living with dementia and their caregivers continue to face when accessing care and support. Moderated by Dr. Samir Sinha, the webinar featured Ngozi Iroanyah, Director of Health Equity and Access at the Alzheimer Society of Ontario; Dr. Navjot Gill-Chawla, Dementia Care Program Lead at the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories; and Dr. Ashley Flanagan, Senior Knowledge Broker at Bruyère Health and an NIA Associate Fellow. 

Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, the panel explored how stigma, discrimination, language barriers and systemic inequities can affect dementia awareness, access to care and quality of life for people living with dementia and their caregivers. The discussion highlighted the unique experiences of racialized, culturally diverse and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and emphasized the importance of building dementia care systems that are equitable, inclusive, culturally safe and affirming for all Canadians.

Watch the recording to learn more about the challenges, opportunities and solutions shaping the future of dementia care in Canada.

Dementia Prevention in Canada: Individual Risk, Collective Responsibility

Join Dr. Samir Sinha and fellow experts for a discussion on the shared responsibility of dementia prevention. While evidence shows that lifestyle and health-related factors can help reduce dementia risk, people’s ability to act on that knowledge is often shaped by broader social, economic and environmental factors.

Drawing on findings from a recent international survey of more than 2,000 adults, panelists will explore public perceptions of dementia risk, barriers to brain-healthy choices, lessons from other public health campaigns and the role of technology in supporting prevention. The session will examine how individuals, healthcare systems, communities and governments can work together to create a more equitable and brain-healthy future for Canadians.

• October 15-17, 2026: CAG 2026, Charlottetown, PEI

• October 26-28: CCNA Annual Conference 2026, Vancouver, BC

• October 26-28: United Way BC Healthy Aging Summit, Richmond BC

• November 2-4, 2026: AGE-WELL Annual Conference, Ottawa, ON

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TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund

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.