The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, today announced an investment of $200,000 to support a new Aging Research Centre with Memorial University contributing approximately $300,000.
The new centre, based at Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook, with an auxiliary site in St. John’s, will be led by a core leadership team directed by a clinical psychologist whose area of expertise is in aging. The centre will bring together researchers like Dr. Les Cake, honorary research professor at Grenfell Campus, as well as experts from around the province and beyond to facilitate partnerships and catalyze new research initiatives in the area of aging in the province and in small-town, rural and remote communities more broadly.
The Aging Research Centre’s researchers and knowledge mobilizers will be positioned to inform decision-making and service provision by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and other health-related organizations.
This initiative delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.
Quotes
“As the province’s demographics continue to shift, having sound research will be key to helping our government create policies and programs that support healthy aging. We are pleased to support Memorial University with the opening of the new Aging Research Centre at Grenfell Campus. Having a dedicated centre for research focused specifically on aging has great potential for evidence-informed decision-making that will help address potential impacts on our seniors and our province.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development
“I am pleased to see Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook engaged in this important research. Our aging population in Newfoundland and Labrador is a challenge that requires action on many fronts, and will benefit from the innovative, quality research we have come to expect from Grenfell Campus.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources and MHA for Corner Brook
“We’re thrilled to receive this support from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the provincial Aging Research Centre, which was recently approved by the Memorial University Board of Regents. The centre will play a critical role in Newfoundland and Labrador, where a rapidly aging population is one of the highest proportions of individuals over the age of 65 in its population in all of Canada.”
Dr. Jeff Keshen
VP (Grenfell Campus) Memorial University
“The mandate of the Office of the Seniors’ Advocate is to identify, review and make recommendations regarding systemic issues impacting seniors in our province. Research will provide us with the evidence we need to make recommendations regarding legislation, policies, programs and services that best meet the needs of the aging population in Newfoundland and Labrador. I applaud the creation of this centre.”
Dr. Suzanne Brake
Seniors’ Advocate, Office of the Seniors’ Advocate
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Media contacts
Gina MacArthur
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
GinaMacArthur@gov.nl.ca
Erin Sulley
Government Members Office
709-729-5036
erinsulley@gov.nl.ca
Pamela Gill
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland
709-637-2187, 632-0936
pgill@grenfell.mun.ca
Dr. Suzanne Brake
Seniors’ Advocate
709-729-6603, 1-833-729-6603
SeniorsAdvocate@SeniorsAdvocateNL.ca