Neena Chappell Scholarship
Neena L. Chappell, PhD, FRSC, is a Canada Research Chair in Social Gerontology, and a professor emeritus of sociology for the Institue on Aging and Lifelong Health at the University of Victoria. She was founding director of the Centre on Aging at the University of Manitoba (1982 - 1992) and first director of the IALH (formerly known as the Centre on Aging) at the University of Victoria (1992 - 2002), developing both into world-class research facilities while ensuring accessibility to the community. For over 25 years, she has been a leader in gerontological research, focusing on three areas: quality of life for seniors, caregiving and the health care system and related policy. Her research can be characterized as partnerships with other researchers in the social sciences and with non-researchers in government and community agencies. She promotes scientific rigour and relevance. She has written over 250 academic articles and reports, two edited books and seven authored books. She has attracted well over $20 million in research funding.
She has produced groundbreaking research on the extent and importance of informal support for seniors. She is internationally known for her work on home care, supporting the case for government expansion in this area to provide more efficient and appropriate health care for an aging society. Her work has been at the forefront of examining the integration of informal and formal care systems for seniors. She has devised scientific measures of best practices for those with dementia in nursing homes. She argues for recognition of the positive aspects of aging as well as recognition of problems and challenges. Her research on quality of life for seniors led the way in debunking myths about seniors as frail, lonely individuals and demonstrated that most seniors maintain their independence within active social networks.
Her research has been recognized by awards such as her appointment as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, as a senior Canada Research Chair in social gerontology, as CUFA/BC's career achievement award recipient, as advising professor at the University of Shanghai (to advise professors rather than students), and as a distinguished visiting scholar at the University of Hong Kong.
"It is a privilege to be able to spend one's time doing what one believes in and enjoys so much," says Chappell. "To be recognized for doing so, is an honour and a bonus."