IFA Skim | May 2017
IBM Announces New Report on   Loneliness and the Ageing Population  

For the aging population, loneliness is more than a state of mind - it is an emerging risk factor that has implications for personal, economic and societal well-being.  A range of stakeholders, including business leaders, medical professionals, governments, advocacy groups and social service organizations, has a significant interest in preventing, identifying and addressing the root causes of loneliness.  Without countermeasures, older adults face continued detachment from the mainstream, even as their numbers grow.  IBM's newest research explores how organizations in many industries can act to help older adults strengthen their social fabric and reconnect to others.

To read the full report, click here
Call to Participate - Eye See You Survey

The IFA is seeking participants to take part in a survey about dry eyes.

The purpose of this survey is to help the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) develop a submission to the Common Drug Review (CDR), a national process that helps the country's provinces and territories decide if drugs approved by Health Canada will be eligible for public reimbursement.

To participate in the survey, click here

Baycrest Education Showcase

Education Week at Baycrest Health Sciences on May 1 marked the beginning of Education Week at Baycrest Health Sciences, a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education based in Toronto, Canada. 

This event was a time to celebrate teaching, technology and teamwork throughout the organization and with all of Baycrest's partners around the world.  Organized by the  Centre for Education and Knowledge Exchange in Aging at Baycrest, Education Week provided an opportunity for all staff members, volunteers, partners and the community to showcase some of their latest educational innovations and key learnings from recent projects. 

Baycrest is asking people to join the conversation about Baycrest's Education Week by following the hashtag #BaycrestEDUC8 on Twitter.
LCO Releases Commissioned Papers on Improving Later Stages of Life

The Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) is pleased to release the final two papers in our series of commissioned research from external experts across Canada. These papers are an important part of our project,  Improving the Last Stages of Life, and advance LCO's mandate to stimulate critical public dialogue through novel empirical research.

Broader community participation in this project will begin with the release of LCO's Discussion Paper in late May, 2017. The LCO's goal for public consultations is to hear from Ontarians in order to identify and recommend law reforms that are concrete, precise, and responsive to the experience of persons in the last stages of life.

For more information on the LCO project, click here



Care for the Older Person into the 21st Century Conference Announcement

What does the future look like as the population ages into the 21st Century and what are the implications for health care delivery?
 
This conference will offer the opportunity to discuss what ageing will look like into the 21st century and how health care services will be delivered. For nursing, in particular, it will provide a platform to explore how such services across the health care spectrum may alter.
 
The Organising Committee warmly invites abstract submissions, for an oral presentation from those clinicians, researchers, and educators wishing to share their knowledge, innovative practice planning, and learnings in the implications of ageing in the 21st Century.

Click here for more information about abstract submissions
Creating a Sustainable Network for the Rural Aging Movement 

To accelerate and expand an emerging drive to improve the experience of rural aging, Grantmakers In Aging (GIA) is leading a three-year program, Creating a Sustainable Network for the Rural Aging Movement. The initiative seeks to connect and support key players concerned with rural aging, share knowledge, expand the resources and services available to older adults in rural areas, and is supported by a grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

The initial project primer, New Frontiers for Funding will provide guidance specifically for grantmakers, including how to get started; where those already working in the field see the greatest potential and greatest need; where to locate the right partners and grantees; why focusing early on program sustainability is essential; how to define and measure success; examples of programs that are working; the importance  of working creatively with government; and how working on rural aging issues can increase the impact of many different kinds of philanthropies. 


To read the full publication, click here

The Benefits of Companion Animals for Older People

Guest post by Jack Bird, Wild Science

It might seem obvious to some that playing with a pet can make you happier, but their impact on humans can go above and beyond that. Animal workshops for older people are becoming increasingly popular, and a look at the actual data behind the effect of companion animals on older adults produces some impressive results.

Uppsala University, based in Sweden, ran an extensive study to see if there was any link between dog petting and anxiety. The results showed that, upon stroking a dog, the body releases a hormone called oxytocin. Widely referred to as 'the love hormone,' it is produced by the brain in the hypothalamus and is known for anxiety relief.

To read the full blog, click here

Companion Animals are an integral sub-theme of the 14th Global Conference on Ageing. To learn more about this theme, click here

Invitation - Civil Society Workshop, 3 July 2017

In the 8 th OEWG session from 5-7 th July 2017, UN Member States will engage in a substantive  debate about two specific areas of human rights where the protection of older people's rights  requires greater attention: 'Equality and non-discrimination' and 'Neglect, violence and abuse.' 

It is  vital that civil society is ready to participate actively in these discussions and put forward  concrete recommendations to build a stronger understanding about these specific areas  and how they might be addressed in a convention.

For  more workshop information, click here

To register for the workshop, click here

Eye See You Newsletter Announcement

The Eye See You campaign debuted the most recent edition of its newsletter on 23 May 2017.

This edition put the spotlight on the work being done by Eye See You's campaign partners, including the campaign's newest partner, South Riverdale Community Health Centre.

To read the full newsletter, click here

To learn more about the Eye See You campaign, click here
Call for 2017 Nominations - IFA Board of Directors

The IFA Nominating Committee is welcoming expressions of interests from IFA members to be considered for the slate of candidates toward election by the full members to the Board of Directors.

Nomination Process
  • Nominations to the Board must be in writing (letter, fax or e-mail) and addressed to the Chair, Nominating Committee, c/o Secretary-General, 351 Christie St, Toronto ON, M6G 3C3 - Canada
  • All correspondence concerning nominations is confidential.  The slate of nominees will be circulated to full members for voting purposes with the announcements made at the Annual Meeting scheduled for the 15 August 2017 in Toronto, Canada.
  • Full members in good standing (under the Corporation's By-Laws) can make nominations and stand for election.
  • The nomination process includes a formal statement of candidacy which is accepted by the Secretary General on behalf of the Nominating Committee. Details of the process and necessary documentation are on the IFA website or can be obtained directly from the Secretary General.
For more information, click here

For full nomination process, and statement of candidacy requirements, please click  here

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