Researchers Aim for Age-Friendly Campus Designation
With an aging baby boomer population and an increasingly age-diverse workforce the designation of an age-friendly campus at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) is timely and warranted.
Co-Principal Applicants, Dr. Megan O’Connell (Department of Psychology, U of S) and Dr. Shelley Peacock (College of Nursing, U of S) along with Co-investigator, Dr. Marjorie Delbaere (Edwards School of Business, U of S) are working together to determine the Feasibility of an Age-friendly Campus Environment at the U of S (FaceUS).
According to the World Health Organization age-friendly is defined as a community where “policies, services, settings and structures support and enable people to age actively”. Currently, no Canadian university is designated as age-friendly.
FaceUS proposes to understand the feasibility of age-friendly policies here at the U of S. The study will include views from all members of the university community including students, staff, faculty as well as administration.
“We propose to study the current university environment with community-based older persons, which includes availability of required services, supports and social inclusiveness,” said Dr. Shelley Peacock. “In order to gather this important information our research team will conduct surveys, face-to-face interviews, as well as walk-along interviews with interested older adults.”
Two phases of research will take place in order to implement an age-friendly program at the University of Saskatchewan. During the first phase, FaceUS will focus on engaging with stakeholders and conducting a needs analysis. Phase two will then build uponthe findings of the first phase, where FaceUS will work to develop and implement an age-friendly university program.