Overview
The Gilbrea Centre has four membership groups: associate faculty members, graduate students, older persons and community organizations. These groups work together to fulfill our mandate outstanding inter-disciplinary research; translating research results into policy and care practices; developing successful partnerships in the public and private sectors; engaging in effective and sustained community outreach and partnerships; and increasing the range and prominence of aging studies in the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate curriculum.
Associate Members
The Associate Members group is comprised of faculty members from across the University, and serves to facilitate interdisciplinary research and exchange through the Centre. Located in the Faculty of Social Sciences, a number of our Associate members teach in the Department of Health, Aging and Society. Our membership also extends across the campus, with the varied disciplinary composition of the Gilbrea Centre's Associate Members helping to achieve our mandate, increase the visibility of research on aging, and facilitate meaningful forms of knowledge sharing.
Interested in learning more about membership? Please email gilbrea@mcmaster.ca
Social Sciences and Humanities
Gavin Andrews |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Cal Biruk |
Anthropology, Social Sciences
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Lori Campbell |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Vikki Cecchetto |
Linguistics and Languages, Humanities
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Nicole Dalmer |
Health, Aging & Society, Social Sciences
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Amelia DeFalco |
English and Cultural Studies, Humanities
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Margaret Denton |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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James Dunn |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Chelsea Gabel |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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James Gillett |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Jessica Gish |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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James Gladstone |
School of Social Work, Social Sciences
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Meridith Griffin |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Michel Grignon |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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David Harris Smith |
Communication Studies and Multimedia, Humanitites
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Jeremiah Hurley |
Economics, Social Sciences
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Anthea Innes |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Randy Jackson |
School of Social Work, Social Sciences
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Anju Joshi |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Yvonne LeBlanc |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Jessica Pace |
Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, Social Sciences
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Ellen Ryan |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Mat Savelli |
Health, Aging & Society, Social Sciences
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Chris Sinding |
Health, Aging and Society, Social Sciences
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Magda Stroinska |
Linguistics and Languages, Humanities
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Michael Veall |
Economics, Social Sciences
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Rachel Zhou |
Department of Health Aging & Society, Social Sciences
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McMaster University
Vanina Dal Bello Haas |
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences
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Maureen Dobbins |
School of Nursing, Health Sciences
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Brock Dubbels |
Computing and Software, Engineering
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Qiyin Fang |
Engineering Physics, Engineering
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Robert Fleisig |
Walter G. Booth School of Engineering Practice, Engineering
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Karin Humphreys |
Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Science
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Sharon Kaasalainen |
School of Nursing, Health Sciences
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Lori Letts |
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences
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Janet Lovegrove |
School of Nursing, Health Sciences
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Maureen Markle-Reid |
School of Nursing, Health Sciences
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Carrie McAiney |
Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Science
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Stephen McBride |
Political Science
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Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald |
School of Rehabilitation Science Member, Health Sciences
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Bruce Newbold |
School of Geography and Earth Sciences, Science
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Mark Oremus |
Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatisics, Health Sciences
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Antonio Páez |
School of Geography and Earth Sciences, Science
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Jenny Ploeg |
School of Nursing, Health Sciences
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Darren Scott |
School of Geography and Earth Sciences, Science
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Allison B. Sekuler |
Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Science
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Patricia Strachan |
School of Nursing, Health Sciences
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Brenda Vrkljan |
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences
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Allison Williams |
School of Geography and Earth Sciences, Science
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John You |
Medicine, Health Sciences
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Isik Zeytinoglu |
Management and Industrial Relations, DeGroote School of Business
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Other Universities
Rachel Barken |
Department of Sociology
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Ellie Berger |
Sociology, Arts and Science
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Alexander Crizzle |
School of Public Health and Health Systems, Applied Health Sciences
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Charles Emlet |
School of Social Work, Social Sciences
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Amanda Grenier |
Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and Baycrest Hospital
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Laura Hurd |
School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education
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Camille Isaacs |
English, Faculty of Arts & Science
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Stephen Katz |
Sociology, Arts and Science
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Pia Kontos |
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
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Brad Millington |
Department of Health, Humanities and Social Sciences
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Kristine Newman |
Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Community Services
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Debbie Rudman |
School of Occupational Therapy, Health Sciences
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Mark Skinner |
Geography, Geography
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Laura Tamblyn-Watts |
CanAge
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Peter Whitehouse |
Neurology, Health Sciences
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Student Members
Students are future researchers, policy makers, professionals, and clinicians from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. Our graduate student group is a peer-led group of students with interests in aging. Members of this group provide insight into new knowledge in their field of study, network with other Centres and groups, and carry out events and activities as part of our programming. Student members serve an integral role at the Centre working alongside faculty, clinical researchers, community professionals, and seniors.
Are you a student looking to connect with our student group? Please email gilbrea@mcmaster.ca
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Alicia Cliford
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Ariel Kwegyir Tsiboe
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Maria Belen Miguel (Student Group Chair)
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Kelley Prendergast
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Amanda Bull - Academic Coordinator
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Amanda Bull is an MA Student in Health & Aging in the Department of Health, Aging & Society. Her thesis project aims to build off of the work she completed as an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto. By seeking to gain a more nuanced understanding of the lived experiences of older adults who face ageism in the workplace, Amanda hopes to use these results to inform equity, diversity, and inclusion policies that often neglect age-related concerns.
Stefania Cerisano
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Stefania is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University. She works in the Cognitive Science Lab under Dr. Scott Watter, and studies the cognitive factors and physiological measures of listening in noise. Her research aims to improve hearing aid fitting and use by better understanding the cognitive influences on hearing, and she works in collaboration with Starkey Hearing Technologies Canada. Stefania is also the Co-President of McMaster’s Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Initiative, which runs science mentorship programs, high school STEM outreach, and an annual conference called Current Research in Engineering, Science, and Technology (CREST).
Brii Davy - VP Internal
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Brii's research interests include: immigrant and refugee mental health, service accessibility in marginalized communities, racial health disparities and the medicalization of POC & their bodies.
She has supported children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities as an instructor therapist for several years and is now studying to write her exam to become a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA).
Peter DeMaio
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Email demaiop@mcmaster.ca View Website
Peter is a PhD in Social Gerontology candidate in the Department of Health, Aging & Society at McMaster University. He holds an MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation from the University of Oxford, an MA in Health and Aging from McMaster and a Double (Honours) BA in Health Studies and Gerontology from McMaster.
Peter’s research interests include community services targeting older adults; aging in place policies; health policy; Indigenous health and wellness; and complementary and alternative medicine.
Peter is also working on knowledge translation initiatives to better incorporate evidence about social services and policies into policy decision-making processes. He hopes to continue to work in both research and knowledge translation to support innovative policy solutions and health services targeting older adults.
Margherita Duesbury - Media Coordinator
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Margherita, after graduating from McMaster University with a BA (Hons) with a double major in Health Studies and Gerontology, as well as a minor in Religious studies, she continues as a student in her MA within the Health and Aging department. Under the supervision of Dr. James Gillett, she studies the interactions between human-animals and Animal Assisted intervention (AAI) programs, specifically within long-term care facilities (LTC). With a passion for improving the wellbeing of older adults and further implementing AAI programs in LTC, she focuses on understanding the complex concept of the human-animal bond. Over the last few years, she has worked specifically on the qualitative media analysis of Cannabis and Dogs. Examining the legalization of Cannabis, this research specifically looks at its effect on dogs within the work force, healthcare and physical health. Through her academic work, Margherita has gained a greater understanding of the impact of policies on the well-being of animals and the way of which animals influence human society.
Rachel Dunsmore
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Rachel Dunsmore is a first year MA student in the department of Health, Aging, and Society at McMaster University. She has completed two Bachelor of Arts at the University of Winnipeg (Conflict Resolution Studies and Honours Sociology).
Rachel is preparing to study the current knowledge base regarding the medicalization of aging. Is aging, a lifetime process which is largely socially determined or molded, being re-cast as a medical problem in need of treatment(s)? What are the ways/mechanisms in which this is occurring and what are its effects?
Rachel is interested in cross-cultural perspectives of aging, the life course, and intergenerational relations as a way of challenging individualism.
Nour El Shamy
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Shamy joined the DeGroote PhD program in Information Systems in September 2013. His primary research interests focus on Human-Centric Decision Support Systems and Human-Computer Interaction, particularly as related to Older Adults, by utilizing a mix of Behavioural and Neurophysiological Information Systems (Neuro-IS) methodologies. His other research interests include User Experience (UX) and Usability, Evidence-Based Decision Making, Digital Transformation, Unconventional and Emerging Technologies, and Electronic and Mobile Commerce.
Shamy has been involved in the early stages of establishing the McMaster Digital Transformation Research Centre (MDTRC), supporting the development of multiple successful Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) / Ontario Research Foundation – Research Infrastructure (ORF-RI) grant proposals for research infrastructure. Shamy continues to serve the MDTRC as a Lab Manager (part-time) and Research Assistant.
Kelsey Harvey
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Kelsey has spent the last 10 years working in community support services, holding positions such as Coordinator of Caregiver Services for VON Niagara and Director of Education and Training for the Alzheimer's Association, Western New York Chapter. She has also held teaching appointments with the University at Buffalo and Brock University. Kelsey earned a Bachelor's of Music Degree Summa Cum Laude in Music Performance from Binghamton University, a Bachelor's of Arts Summa Cum Laude in Health and Human Services concentrating in Social Gerontology from the University at Buffalo, an Advanced Certificate in Long-Term Care Administration, and a Master's of Science Degree in Adult Education from Buffalo State College. Kelsey began working towards a Ph.D. in Social Gerontology at McMaster University in the Fall of 2016 with an interest in researching geragogy.
Stephanie Hatzifilalithis
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Stephanie holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Sheffield and has recently been awarded her MSc In Cognitive Neuroscience from University College London, UK. She is currently commencing her PhD in the department of Health, Aging and Society at McMaster University under the guidance of Dr. Amanda Grenier. Through out her academic career she has focused on the health and well being of the ageing population, specifically looking at the benefits social interaction has on older adults cognitive vitality. She was given the opportunity to work with older adults on several projects including Digital literacy programs. This largely influenced the development of her PhD project that will investigate the framework, methodologies, and applications of Intergenerational Learning (IL), in hopes to discover and implement leading IL programs across Canada.
Harneet Hothi
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Harneet is currently a Masters student in the Health and Aging Program at McMaster University. Harneet recently graduated as a Bachelor of Health Sciences Student at McMaster University where she completed two thesis projects one of which focused on using the life course perspective to examine mental health interventions. She looks forward to furthering her education through her current program to understand the social-cultural dimensions of health and aging including services, policy and health equity.
Ariel Kwegyir Tsiboe
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Alison McNeil
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Alison is a PhD student in the Department of Health, Aging and Society at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Gavin Andrews. She has recently completed her MA in Health and Aging from McMaster University and also holds a BSc (Hons) in Biology from the University of Western Ontario. Alison has a passion for improving the wellbeing of older adults. Over the last several years, she has worked directly with older adults in Schlegel Village communities in many capacities. Through her academic work, Alison has gained a deeper understanding of the necessary features of age-friendly communities and the challenges and barriers older adults face while aging in place. Alison’s work investigates age-friendly communities, particularly with respect to social participation, and how these communities can best be developed by incorporating the knowledge and voices of the older adults who live in them.
Blessing Ojembe
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Blessing holds an M Sc Gerontology from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom and a BSc in Social work from the University of Nigeria. Blessing’s work focuses on aging, loneliness, social isolation and social exclusion. Blessing is currently a member of the Gilbrea Students Group, McMaster University; and the Emerging Researchers and Professionals on Aging – African Network (ERPAAN).
Blessing’s hope is that through her PhD research, culturally specific programs and interventions that will address loneliness, social isolation and integration among racialized older Canadians will be developed. Blessing believes that the future of gerontology lies in getting the younger generation to be involved in the study of aging, globally. Hence, she hopes to be an aging mentor/teacher to the younger generation.
Natalie Palumbo
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
My interest in geriatrics began when I started volunteering at St. Peter's hospital in Hamilton. I found joy in supporting adults with dementia and have many beautiful memories facilitating activities like gardening and dancing. Learning about issues that adults with dementia may face became very important to me. In the Arts and Science program, my undergraduate thesis focused on programs for adults with dementia, which was an opportunity to learn in an academic way about gaps in how we care for this population. I am currently in the Master of Science in Global Health Program at McMaster, and will be focusing my final scholarly paper on dementia from a global health perspective. My hope is to work directly with elderly adults in the future.
Samantha Perrotta
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Samantha is a PhD in Health & Society student at McMaster University. Under the guidance of Dr. Jim Dunn, her research is focused on aging, housing, the lived environment, and health equity. She holds a Master’s in Public Health degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic and Inclusive Recreation from Brock University.
Samantha has been inspired to pursue research in aging given her front line work experience as a Recreation Therapist at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Her academic work is based in the stories and observed needs of those she has served.
Cristina Stef - Social Coordinator
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Cristina Stef is an MA student in the department of Anthropology at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Ellen Badone. She has recently completed her BHSc (Hons) in Health Sciences and a major in Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario. Her research looks at issues of diversity within long-term care and the role of culture in the lives of immigrants with dementia and their families. Her other research interests include personhood and dementia in older adults, as well as the social welfare of older adults.
Jonelle Ward
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Jonelle Ward is a PhD Candidate in Social Gerontology. Her research includes family caregiving and dementia, particularly the experiences of young adults caring for an older adult with Alzheimer’s Disease or a Related Dementia (ADRD). She is interested in young carers‘ perceptions about caregiving and how young carers maintain their own lives while in a caregiving role.
Jonelle's other research interests include: age-friendly communities, participatory-based research, issues in aging and diversity, the social welfare of older adults, psychosocial aspects of aging, personhood and dementia in marginalized older adults, and embodiment and aging.
Prior to her doctoral studies, Jonelle worked in the non-profit sector and developed funded projects to address disparities in ADRD and barriers faced by young carers in underserved communities.
Rachel Weldrick
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Rachel Weldrick is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Health, Aging and Society at McMaster University. Rachel holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from Acadia University, and an MA in Health & Aging from McMaster. She was awarded a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship for her research on urban social isolation among seniors. Her research interests include social isolation, mental health, and age-friendly communities.
Kaitlin Wynia
Student Member, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Kaitlin is a PhD student in Health Studies under the supervision of Dr. Lori Campbell at McMaster University. Kaitlin recently graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, NS where she focused on learning more about how Canadian Armed Forces Veteran families demonstrate family resiliency in light of the stresses associated with leaving the military and entering civilian communities. Kaitlin hopes to continue exploring the connections between preventative healthcare, family relationships, later life transitions, and social policy in her doctoral studies.
Sina Afshani
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Sina is currently a student at MTEI program at McMaster University. Prior to joining McMaster, Sina finished his bachelor’s degree in industrial design from OCADU (Ontario College of Arts and Design University). His interest in aging and mobility started when he first worked at IDRC (Inclusive Design Research Center) as an Inclusive Designer working on accessibility and virtual interactions. His undergraduate thesis focused on mobility and aging at home inspired by his family’s struggles with Alzheimer. His first hand struggle with providing care at home pushed him to create his own company focusing on creating and designing products and services that would increase the quality of life for both caregivers and patients. Sina is currently working with the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at McMaster University to turn his vision into reality.
Erica Areseneau
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Brian Budd
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Rebecca Casey
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Rebecca is a PhD candidate (ABD) in the Department of Sociology at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Lori Campbell (supervisor), Dr. Margaret Denton, and Dr. Peri Ballantyne (Trent University). Her dissertation research focuses on the health status and lived experience of people with physical impairments, with a particular focus on injured workers with permanent impairments. She is particularly interested in the aging experiences of people with physical impairments and how they negotiate the health care system and manage chronic health conditions. Her dissertation involves three separate but related projects: a longitudinal analysis of unmet health care needs; a quantitative analysis that compares participants from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) to injured workers with permanent impairments from the Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury (RAACWI) Health Survey with a particular focus on access to health care and chronic health conditions; and a qualitative analysis focusing on the lived experience of 10 injured workers with permanent impairments and their access to health care. She is also involved in several projects with Dr.Ballantyne and other RAACWI researchers. These include: studying the economic situation of injured workers, particularly those who have low income, and their health care experiences; and comparing older and younger injured workers with permanent impairments and their occupational outcomes following a work injury. Her dissertation research builds nicely on my MA thesis that explored the lived experience of eight people with a physical impairment to better understand their coping mechanisms as they aged with their impairment.
Emily Cichonski
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Huyen Dam
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Email damhd@mcmaster.ca Call (905) 525-9140 ext. 20440 View Website
Huyen Dam is a PhD Candidate in the School of Geography and Earth Sciences at McMaster University. Her broad research interest is on the lived experience of immigrants and refugees in Canada over time. Her MA research focused on the sense of place, home and identity of the Vietnamese Boat People in Canada. Her interest in the health of immigrants and refugees has led her to explore the ways in which culture shapes and impacts people’s ideas about wellness and illness. Her current research is focused on the following: the role of cultural and linguistic brokers in knowledge exchange in health promotion; (2) the capacity of service providers to diversify mental health promotion strategies though the process of engaging multi-cultural groups; and (3), to explore the ways in which equity and inclusion in mental health planning can affect diverse communities in Hamilton. Huyen has been a member of the Hamilton Immigrant Partnership Council (HIPC) since 2011 and sees the importance of research that is connected to the community.
Pamela Durepos
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Pamela Durepos is completing her PhD in nursing at McMaster University. She works as a registered nurse at the Hamilton General Hospital Intensive Care Unit, and is involved in quality improvement projects for end-of-life and palliative care in the hospital corporation. Pamela is supervised by Dr. Sharon Kaasalainen, Professor in the School of Nursing. Pamela's PhD project is titled 'Caring Ahead' and focuses on supporting family caregivers of people with dementia at end-of-life. Based on recommendations from family caregivers, she is developing a holistic questionnaire to measure how prepared family caregivers feel for the death of a loved one in long-term care. This questionnaire will help identify caregivers' needs for preparation, and will help understand if Advance Care Planning is effective at helping caregivers feel prepared.
Catherine Dyer
Student Alumni, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Catherine is a Masters student within the Department of Health and Aging at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Amanda Grenier. She completed her BA in Human Relations, Minor Psychology, with Distinction from Concordia University in June 2014 and was awarded The Robert C. Rae Book Prize, for the most outstanding graduate within Applied Arts and Science. Catherine has over ten years of palliative care volunteer experience in both the hospital and home settings. Her roles have included, coaching family caregivers within a palliative care clinical-research study, bereavement support group facilitation, palliative care ward duties and telephone peer mentorship for young widows. She co-presented a selfcare workshop, specifically designed for volunteers, at the 2014 International Palliative Care Congress, Montreal, and co-presented a research project workshop, highlighting the role of a volunteer caregiver coach, at the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Conference, Ottawa. Catherine’s graduate research will center on the family caregiver role for those caring for someone at the end of life, with an emphasis on preparatory education provision made for those entering the family caregiving role, examination of the support mechanisms available before, during and after their caregiving experience, and recommendations family caregivers have for systemic changes.
Senior-Scholar-in-Residence
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Ellen Ryan, Professor Emeritus, to the Centre as Senior-Scholar-in-Residence.
I am very pleased to be appointed Senior-Scholar-in-Residence in Social Sciences working through the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging. In this role I will continue working with faculty, students, research staff and community partners on Resilient Aging. I am currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Health Aging & Society as well as in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences. I maintain contact with students through guest lectures in classes, supervision of honours research projects, and intergenerational involvement in community service. I offer writing workshops for older adults on themes such as memoir, journaling, and legacy letters. See my website Writing Aging & Spirit. Working with colleagues as well as students, I host the Hamilton Aging in Community website and associated Aging Together mutual support group which sponsors annual workshops on resilient aging topics such as HomeSharing, Seniors Cohousing, Intergenerational Programming, and Strengthening Connections for Seniors through Faith Communities. I keep learning about aging in community issues when lecturing for academic, regional, and community groups on resilience, creativity, housing alternatives, outwitting ageism, communication in dementia, and lifelong learning.
For those interested in learning more, check out my publications.
The SHARE Group Volunteer Network
The SHARE Group is a volunteer research group administered by the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging.
What is SHARE? The SHARE Group is a volunteer network for older adults 55+ developed by the Gilbrea Centre. SHARE provides members the opportunity to meet, connect, socialize, and engage in discussions and workshop initiatives. Members are provided resources and opportunities to participate in research and voluntary opportunities such as awareness raising and public engagement that relates to the aging studies work that we do at the Gilbrea Centre.
Are you an older adult who would like to be more involved in research and Centre activities?
Partner Organizations
The Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging has longstanding relationships with several groups and organizations who work with older people. These collaborative relationships help us to create new knowledge, foster research relevant to community need, and provide our partners with cutting edge research and suggestions for best practices. Partnerships with the community are an important aspect of knowledge exchange between faculty members, students, seniors and the community.
Community partners of the centre will have opportunities to participate in Centre events and activities; co-host or partner on events; connect with faculty or student researchers around social and inter-disciplinary aspects of aging; develop, lead or participate in co-run research projects; and/or access professional development or training sessions.
Interested in becoming a partner?
Our Partner Organizations

Dementia Alliance
On April 1, 2010, the Alzheimer Societies of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk and Hamilton Halton integrated their delivery of services to those affected by dementia under a new corporation called Dementia Alliance. This corporation is composed of three board members from each of the local Societies, and was developed to create efficiencies and ensure the best use of our financial and human resources to meet the needs of persons affected by dementia across our communities. The local Societies continue to exist and act as the local face of our services, fundraising and public awareness efforts. Currently, Dementia Alliance has more than 70 full and part-time staff delivering services in the local communities.

Dundas Community Services
Dundas Community Services is located in the heart of downtown Dundas. Our mission is…“to provide or facilitate services that enhance the social well-being and development of the community”. We have information, programs and service available to enhance the quality of life in our community. As well, we provide; services for seniors and persons with disabilities, information, counselling and referral services, volunteer services, family and individual counselling and co-ordinated services.

Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant CCAC
Your Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) connects you with the care you need, at home and in your community. Our dedicated professional staff and management are guided by our vision and mission, and we strive to live our values as we deliver your care each and every day.
Ontario's 14 CCACs share a common vision and mission. We recognize that each community is unique – to reflect this, our values are developed by each CCAC locally.

Trent Centre for Aging & Society
Leveraging its strategic location in one of Canada’s most rapidly aging communities and its interdisciplinary strengths in Social Sciences and Humanities research, Trent University has prioritized the Trent Centre for Aging and Society as a key academic research, knowledge mobilization and community engagement initiative.The Centre's research mandate is to: cultivate new areas of scholarship in aging studies; enhance Trent's existing capacity in the study of aging and old age; and support community engagement that is responsive to the challenges and opportunities facing older people and aging communities.

AGE-WELL
AGE-WELL is a pan-Canadian network of industry, non-profit organizations, government, care providers, caregivers, end-users, and academic partners working together using high-quality research to drive innovation and create technologies and services that benefit older adults. Thier vision is to harness and build upon the potential of emerging and advanced technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), e-health, information communication technologies (ICTs), and mobile technologies to stimulate technological, social, and policy innovation.

Geriatric Education and Research in Aging Sciences (GERAS) Centre
The Geriatric Education and Research in Aging Sciences (GERAS) Centre is committed to educating and empowering seniors to regain and retain independence and to manage their health through active participation in their care. These new models of care engage family members and build capacity for support within the community. The experts at St. Peter’s are also dedicated to advancing health care education for the present and next generation of health care professionals. Through innovative research the GERAS Centre will close the gap between knowing and doing to contribute to improved quality of life for seniors.

Hamilton Council on Aging
The Hamilton Council on Aging (HCoA) is a senior-driven initiative that was founded by a group of concerned citizens in the community.
HCoA is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of all seniors in Hamilton.
Our strength is in our membership. A volunteer Board of Directors, subcommittees, as well as HCoA staff, volunteers and community partners work together to support current projects and community initiatives.

Wesley
Wesley offers daily support, every step of the way, to over 1, 250 children, youth, adults and seniors living in poverty in Hamilton. As a multi-service organization, Wesley has a portfolio of over 30 different programs in 19 locations in the areas of: Children, Youth & Family Services, Housing & Homeless Services and Neighbourhood & Newcomer Services. The long-term impact of our programs includes improved education, successful employment and supportive independence. Wesley has been responding to poverty in the Hamilton community since 1955, when a senior’s outreach program began in the basement of Wesley United Church in downtown Hamilton. Wesley’s services are possible through a broad base of funding support from government, business, foundations, individuals and churches.

YWCA Hamilton
YWCA Hamilton has been a part of the Hamilton community for 126 years. As a women’s led organization, YWCA is committed to offering valuable programs and services to groups of all ages with diverse backgrounds and needs. The organization is engaged in community collaborative activities and planning groups to work with government and non-profit partners in a variety of sectors to improve the quality of life for women and their families. These collaborative activities and community planning initiatives address issues including but not limited to: poverty, housing and homelessness, violence against women, child care, adults with developmental disabilities, youth services, and supports for an aging population.

AbleLiving
AbleLiving is a non-profit charity that has been serving adults with physical disabilities for more than thirty-five years. We provide the assistance that people may need to manage their lives as independent adults. In addition to a wide array of supportive care options we offer training in life skills, self-development, falls prevention and dementia care. Among our clients are adults with physical disabilities, elderly people who are becoming frail, and family members who need respite from the role of caregiver. We provide services and accommodation in several communities: Burlington, Binbrook, Mississauga, Stoney Creek, and Hamilton.

Thrive Group
Thrive Group provides a spectrum of integrated services to support and care for individuals to live as independently as possible. By bringing together like-minded organizations Thrive Group develops and delivers quality services that are responsive and innovative, enhances collaborative approaches to service provision, informs government directives and influences health care system transformations, and creates efficiencies and reduces duplication.

St. Joseph’s Home Care
Since 1921 St. Joseph’s Home Care has provided high quality, values-based home and community services in a spirit of compassion and dedication. At SJHC we tailor our home care programs to meet the needs of each individual client. We serve a wide variety of clients with diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. As a faith-based organization, we are committed to serving all clients regardless of their beliefs or background. Our organization reflects the diversity of ethnicity, culture and religion in our community. We understand and respect each individual’s requirements and are sensitive to each individual’s beliefs and spiritual care needs.

Realize
Realize, formerly known as the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation (CWGHR), is a national organization that has been a leader and a catalyst for improved access to rehabilitation services for people living with HIV and other episodic disabilities since 1998. Through research, education, policy and practice, Realize works to create change for people living with HIV and other episodic disabilities – to make their daily lives better, so that they can live well and live fully. HIV and aging is one of our strategic directions and we are proud to serve as the secretariat for the National Coordinating Committee on HIV and Aging (NCC).

Elder Abuse Ontario
Elder Abuse Ontario is a not-for-profit charitable organization that was established in 1990 and is funded by the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat. Their mission is to create an Ontario where all seniors are free from abuse through awareness, education, training, collaboration, service co-ordination and advocacy. The Senior Safety Line, 1-866-299-1011, provides contact and referral information across the province and is available in 150 languages.

Age Friendly Hamilton
Age Friendly Hamilton (The City of Hamilton, Neighbourhood and Community Initative) is a partnership with the City of Hamilton, Hamilton Council on Aging and Seniors Advisory Committee. The Age Friendly Hamilton Plan was developed through community consultantion with over 700 stakeholders. The Plan helps to identify and address the needs and priorities of the growing population of older adults and seniors in Hamilton.

RISE (Reach Isolated Seniors Everywhere)
Launched in October 2015, the objective of the RISE campaign is to help Canadians of all ages, cultures and regions become aware of the impact of loneliness and social isolation on their older family members, friends and neighbours – and to take action. It is a national campaign that will involve partners across the country as well as individual Canadians. The goal of RISE is to share information and encourage thousands of concrete actions across the country to help reduce the social isolation and loneliness of our older people.

Hamilton Aging Together: An Aging in Community Group
Hamilton Aging Together (founded in 2013 and led by Ellen Ryan) is an aging-in-community group of community-minded individuals, mostly between their mid50s and mid80s, residing in the Hamilton area. One member lives in a retirement home; quite a number have downsized to condo homes or seniors buildings. They are committed to learn and inform others about housing alternatives and other mutual support strategies for maturing adults and seniors. They are committed to get to know each other and to rely on each other in times of need.

Haven Toronto
The only facility of its kind in Canada, Haven Toronto is a sanctuary for elder men age 50+ who have been impacted by poverty, homelessness and social isolation. Open 365 days a year, Haven Toronto provides essential programs and services, including counselling and crisis support, housing support, healthy meals 3 times daily, onsite nurses and support for basic needs including clothing, computers, internet and laundry.

Red Shawl
Red Shawl is a volunteer driven and managed women’s community organization aspiring to improve communities; woman by woman. Red Shawl offers programs for women and young girls to improve their skills, education and leadership for workplace, families and communities. With better skills, education and leadership qualities women gain better economic prospects which is a huge step towards bridging the gender gap and achieving gender parity. It is also a key step towards higher participation of women in the labour force and higher economic growth in Canada.

Toronto Council on Aging
The Toronto Council on Aging is a non-profit, charitable organization addressing the issues and concerns of older adults in Toronto. Our inter-generational working board lifts the voices of older adults, organizes educational events, builds collaborative networks, and much more.

The Village at Canadore College
The Village at Canadore College is a world class health and wellness facility, the first of its kind within Canada. It uses a ground-breaking approach to educating the next generation of our country's health professionals. The Village blends Indigenous, Eastern and Western practices, and offers student led clinics, custom built classrooms, and a traditional Indigenous ceremony space. The facility fosters a spirit of collaboration that enhances the delivery of community-based services while inspiring a new ideal for holistic care and healing - across all life stages - that can be adopted by communities across the country. Areas of research priority for the Village include: interprofessional education, senior quality of life, intergenerational living and collaboration, and intercultural approaches to health and well-being.

The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Aging and Care (CIRAC)
The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Aging and Care (CIRAC) at the University of Graz in Austria was founded in 2020. The first of its kind in Austria, it was created to address socially relevant questions of aging, old age, and the organization of care (care structures and care cultures) from the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences. CIRAC’s fields of research include the analysis of cultural representations of age, care, and the life course, human-technology interaction, ecologies of care, ethics and politics, and medical humanities. Its mission is to contribute to the growing field of Aging and Care Studies by facilitating inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration.

McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA)
The McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA) works to optimize the health and longevity of Canada’s aging population through leading-edge research, education and stakeholder collaboration — while upholding the values of integrity, excellence, collaboration, inclusion and transparency. Established in 2016 and led by Dr. Parminder Raina (Canada Research Chair in Geroscience), MIRA coordinates, facilitates and amplifies research in aging across every Faculty at McMaster University and acts as a robust entry point to many of McMaster’s established research-focused platforms in aging, such as the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA, clsa-elcv.ca) — a study of 50,000 Canadians as they age. Through MIRA’s approach to interdisciplinary research, the development of novel training programs, community engagement and knowledge mobilization, MIRA’s research outcomes have real impact and influence on the well-being of older adults locally and globally.
Centre Staff
At the Gilbrea Centre, we can help to facilitate connections between research staff, faculty members, students and our partners. We can also provide a number of services for a fee including assistance with budgets, ethics proposals, and organization of events or workshops.
Are you a partner organization looking for assistance with a literature review, research project or event. Please contact our office.
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Equity Burke
Research Coordinator
burkee3@mcmaster.ca
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Nicole Dalmer
Associate Professor, Gilbrea Centre Associate Director
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Meridith Griffin
Associate Professor, Gilbrea Centre Associate Director
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Anthea Innes
Professor, Director of the Gilbrea Centre, Gilbrea Chair in Aging and Mental Health
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Rianna Johnstone
Student Placement -
Mason McLeod
SHARE Coordinator
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Amna Zaidi
Centre Staff, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging
Amna is in her third year of undergraduate studies at McMaster University. She is completing her BA (Hons) with a double major in political science and health and society