Laurier expert alert: National Seniors Day

Sept. 27, 2019
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – Tuesday, Oct. 1 is National Seniors Day. Wilfrid Laurier University has several experts available to speak about topics related to aging, including health and wellness, the economics of aging and representations of older people in the media.

Dawn Guthrie is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education and the Department of Health Sciences. Her research focuses on the needs and abilities of older adults with disabilities, palliative care, adults with sensory impairments and caregivers. Her research has been used to assist health professionals, decision-makers and caregivers better meet the needs of older adults and to evaluate the quality of care being provided. Contact: dguthrie@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 x2590.

Tammy Schirle is a professor in the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. She is an expert on labour economics, public economics, and the economics of gender and aging. She is available to comment on topics including income inequality, disability insurance, pensions and retirement policy, and senior poverty. Contact: tschirle@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 x3849. 

Lee Willingham is a professor in the Faculty of Music, director of the Laurier Centre for Music in the Community and co-ordinator of the Master of Arts in Community Music program. Through The Circle of Music intergenerational choir, he has studied the impacts of singing in a choir on people living with dementia, their caregivers and volunteers. Last November, he co-hosted a conference, called Music Care: Music, Aging and Wellness, which brought together researchers, practitioners and musicians to discuss how music can improve the quality of life for an aging population. He is currently working on an interdisciplinary research project exploring the ways in which music and creative technologies can encourage learning and creativity and improve quality of life for older people. Contact: lwillingham@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 x3621.

Nicola Newton, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, is an expert on adult development and aging, marriage and health among older couples, and how gender, social roles, health and well-being are associated with personality development, particularly in later life. She is currently studying personal identity revision in older adults as they transition through retirement and deal with ongoing age-related change (physical, psychological and social). She’s also collaborating on research examining stress, relationship quality and health among older couples.

Dana Sawchuk is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology. Her research focuses on aging, the print media and religion (especially Roman Catholicism). She is particularly interested in how older adults are represented in various popular and religious magazines and newspapers, and she is currently conducting research on how older women read and use women's magazines in everyday life. Contact: dsawchuk@wlu.ca.