UFlourish webinar explores ageism and intergenerational empathy

Intergenerational empathy and its role in creating inclusive, thriving campus environments was the topic of discussion at a virtual event held on Nov. 5 as part of the University of Calgary’s annual UFlourish expo.

Empathy Across Ages: Strengthening Our Campus Community featured a keynote speech exploring biases and stereotypes tied to age, illustrating how media-fuelled stereotypes can hinder connection, and encouraged reflection on age-based assumptions.

The keynote was delivered by Kenna Kelly-Turner, BA’08, BedP’12, a manager of faculty development in the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and lead for the Health Professions Education Leadership stream of the Precision Health Program. Kelly-Turner is also a doctoral candidate in education.

“Rather than seeing differences as an opportunity to create stronger communities … we see it as an issue that is going to be a headache and then we shut down,” said Kelly-Turner, who specializes in social justice, adult learning and health education. “Grant other people the benefit of the doubt that you would want granted to you.”

The webinar was hosted by the Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging, part of the O'Brien Institute for Public Health. Moderating the event was centre manager, Dr. Chantelle Zimmer, PhD, an adjunct assistant professor with the Faculty of Kinesiology. 

Panellists included Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, MD, academic geriatrician and academic lead of the Centre on Aging, who discussed the widespread impact of ageism and stressed the importance of education, media representation and intergenerational activities to combat it.

Dr. David Hogan, MD, professor emeritus at CSM, highlighted the role universities can play in bridging generational divides. He discussed the University of Calgary Retirees Association, where he serves as a member-at-large, which helps retired faculty and staff stay engaged with the community and urged participants to reflect on their own aging journeys.

Kinesiology student Mahrukh Tanweer, meanwhile, shared research on the challenges older Pakistani immigrants face in Calgary. She emphasized the need for culturally inclusive programs that support both social and physical well-being, especially for those with limited English proficiency.

Holroyd-Leduc’s remarks about ageism mirrored those of Zimmer, who also pointed out UCalgary’s changing demographic, with more older faculty, staff and students represented than in the past.

A recent study led by Zimmer for the Centre on Aging, Assessing the University of Calgary’s Age-Friendliness, revealed that many people don’t recognize ageism in their own environment.

“With ageism, I think people have a tendency to not fully recognize what's happening. It’s like it happens elsewhere, but it doesn't happen here,” said Zimmer.

Zimmer stressed this misconception is why the Age-Friendly University Global Network (AFU) is so important. An AFU works to optimize environments for older adults’ health, participation and well-being.

“It’s a reminder that addressing ageism isn’t just about recognizing its effects, but taking deliberate action to prevent it from happening in the first place,” said Zimmer.

UCalgary joined the AFU Global Network in 2018, and after an assessment, began prioritizing these key principles:

1. Encouraging the participation of older adults in all the core activities of the university, including educational and research programs.
2. Promoting intergenerational learning to facilitate the reciprocal sharing of expertise between learners of all ages.
3. Ensuring the university's research agenda is informed by the needs of an aging society and promoting public discourse on how higher education can better respond to the varied interests and needs of older adults.
4. Increasing students’ understanding of the longevity dividend and the increasing complexity and richness that aging brings to our society.
5. Ensuring regular dialogue with organizations representing the interests of the aging population.

By fostering a culture of intergenerational learning and collaboration, the university aims to address the challenges posed by an aging society while supporting the well-being of its entire community.

The webinar was presented as part of UFlourish, the annual well-being initiative to support the mental, physical and emotional health of the UCalgary community.

For more information about the Centre on Aging and their work, visit their website.