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National Seniors Day
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September 30, 2010
Oct. 1 marks the first National Seniors Day in Canada and SFU researchers are standing by to discuss topics related to aging.
Canada Research Chair Stephen Robinovitch is studying ways to help seniors maintain balance and mobility. He can discuss:
Stephen Robinovitch, 778.782.3566; stever@sfu.ca
Gerontologist Gloria Gutman studies elder abuse – how and why it happens and what can be done to prevent it. The co-author (with SFU’s Charmaine Spencer) of Aging, Ageism and Abuse: Moving From Awareness to Action has examined elder abuse across cultures with an eye to helping policy-makers take concrete action.
Gutman can also discuss:
Gloria Gutman, 778.782.5063; gutman@sfu.ca
Engineering science professor Faisal Beg studies the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. He can share insights on:
Faisal Beg, 778.782.5696; faisal_beg@sfu.ca; http://www.helpAlzheimerBC.ca/
Canada Research Chair Stephen Robinovitch is studying ways to help seniors maintain balance and mobility. He can discuss:
- Osteoporosis and the role of bone strength in hip fracture
- Using video capture to detect the cause and circumstances of falls by the elderly
- Preventing falls and fractures through novel engineering interventions such as low-profile clothing and compliant flooring
- The role of exercise in healthy aging
Stephen Robinovitch, 778.782.3566; stever@sfu.ca
Gerontologist Gloria Gutman studies elder abuse – how and why it happens and what can be done to prevent it. The co-author (with SFU’s Charmaine Spencer) of Aging, Ageism and Abuse: Moving From Awareness to Action has examined elder abuse across cultures with an eye to helping policy-makers take concrete action.
Gutman can also discuss:
- The impact of biological, chemical, and radiological hazards as well as climate change on the health and well-being of older persons
- How to design environments and communities that are more age-friendly
- How disasters impact the elderly. “Until fairly recently seniors were not on the radar screen of most humanitarian relief agencies. The focus was on babies and expectant moms. Hurricane Katrina made it clear that the bulk of people who die in disasters are not kids; rather, they are frail elders.”
Gloria Gutman, 778.782.5063; gutman@sfu.ca
Engineering science professor Faisal Beg studies the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. He can share insights on:
- The anticipated rise – a tripling, over the next three decades – of Alzheimer’s cases in Canada
- His comparisons of MRI brain scan signatures in those with the disease and in those with healthy brains
- His focus on tracking the earliest stages of the Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and on building mathematical tools to measure changes in the shape, volume and form of brain structure.
- His mid-September trek up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds – more than $11,000 – and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease.
Faisal Beg, 778.782.5696; faisal_beg@sfu.ca; http://www.helpAlzheimerBC.ca/