Conference Highlights New Ways to Think About Aging
Partnership between Trent Centre for Aging & Society & Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging celebrated
On March 8, the Trent Centre for Aging and Society (TCAS), along with the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, hosted Futures of Aging at McMaster University in Hamilton. The event brought together more than 50 faculty and students, alongside seniors and community partners to dig deep into the different social aspects of aging.
The event started with a panel discussion with Dr. Stephen Katz, professor of Sociology at Trent University and TCAS executive member, who provided an overview of the evolution of aging studies and how, in a field of competing notions, dominant ideas must be questioned. He was joined by Dr. Amanda Grenier, associate professor of Health, Aging and Society at McMaster University and director of the Gilbrea Centre, who offered a look into how aging is experienced through social constructs from the perspective of social work.
The event offered students the opportunity to feature their own work on a variety of topics ranging from Inuit perspectives on aging well, exploring the experience of Iranian immigrant caregivers working from home to a look at the role of hairstylists as cultural intermediaries of traditional and changing age norms.
Amber Colibaba, a Trent University masters candidate in Sustainability Studies, was one of the student participants who presented her project exploring the sustainability of volunteer-based rural libraries. She said that presenting her project alongside fellow students from different universities was a valuable opportunity.
“Having the opportunity to hear feedback on my research from other graduate students and professors was a really great learning experience,” said Ms. Colibaba.