Events & workshops

Aging in and out of place: Lived experiences of older immigrants in Canada

Christina Clark-Kazak, Professor

Friday, October 23, 2026
10:30 to 11:30AM
In-person at IALH (limited seats) and online
Registration required: IALH@uvic.ca 

Description: This presentation explores the intersection of lived experiences of aging and immigration through a social age analysis. Drawing on a textual analysis of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), it shows how older people are invisibilized and constructed as burdens within Canadian immigration policy. The presentation then turns to empirical data to challenge some of the ageist assumptions underlying current immigration law and policy, and will conclude with some recommendations for research and practice.

Bio: Christina Clark-Kazak is Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and Principal Investigator of the UnborderED Knowledge partnership.

Dr. AmanPreet Badhwar
Online, Friday, October 30, 2026, 2:30-4:00pm PT
Email IALH@uvic.ca to register for Zoom link

Understanding Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration: Metabolic, Vascular, and Molecular Perspectives

Brain aging is a heterogeneous, multifactorial process reflected in individual differences in cognitive trajectories and susceptibility to neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This talk will draw on research across the adult lifespan to examine the metabolic, vascular, and molecular dimensions of brain aging using complementary approaches, including advanced neuroimaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and blood-based proteomics. It will highlight age-related changes in brain metabolites, vascular brain health, and circulating molecular markers, and explore how their integration with brain-age estimates can reveal individual differences that may be obscured by any single measure. Together, these findings offer new perspectives on the biological dimensions of cognitive aging and their relevance to neurodegenerative disease.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Dr. AmanPreet Badhwar is an Associate Professor at the University of Montreal, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, as well as a researcher at the Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. She co-leads the (a) Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded Vascular Training Platform, which focuses on vascular cognitive impairment research and innovation and (b) Imaging Platform of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging. She is also co-lead of our BBB PIA- Extracellular Vesicle Working group.

Dr. Badhwar’s academic path has been to study neurological disease by combining different data types, starting with small-scale genetics and brain imaging early in her career, and progressively moving to “big-data-analytics” in Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Badhwar directs the Multiomics Investigation of Neurodegenerative Diseases (MIND) Lab that focuses on integrating observations from in-vivo brain imaging and biofluid-based molecular ‘omics’ in the study of age-related dementias, with the goal of discovering new biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and improving methods to speed the drug discovery process. Dr. Badhwar holds several grants and has been awarded multiple prestigious scholarships/awards over the years, including the FRQS-Chercheur-boursiers-Junior2 and the 2022 Organization for Human Brain Mapping Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award. This award recognized her ongoing role in many initiatives that promote equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) within and beyond the organization. In general, Dr. Badhwar actively embeds EDI considerations in her research work (e.g., in study design, training/mentoring, collaborations), which she considers to be a key to achieving reproducible research excellence.

New Directions in Aging & Lifelong Health Research Showcase

Monday, November 9, 2026 
2:00 to 4:00pm (1:30pm doors open)
Upper Lounge, Student Union Building, UVic
Free. Registration required through Eventbrite.
Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Three interdisciplinary health research teams present their projects from STRIDE's 2025-26 mentorship program. 

2:00PM
Welcome, Territorial Acknowledgement

2:05 to 2:30pm
Team Lai/Cutler: Surgical Menopause and Brain Structure: A Systematic Review of Grey Matter Volume and White Matter Integrity

Mentors: Dr. Claudia Lai, Assistant Professor, Health Info. Sci./Pharmacy
Dr. Dylan Cutler, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Psychology
Trainees: Hayley Casey, Matilde Cervantes Navarrete, Isabella Tucci

2:35 to 3:00pm       
Healthcare distrust and COVID-19 vaccine confidence among equity-deserving youth: A scoping review

Mentor: Dr. Megan Ames, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology
Trainees: Doug Williscroft, Emiko Osborne, Esty-Jo Asare

3:00 to 3:15pm            
Break

3:15 to 3:40pm            
Team Swayne:Title
 
Mentor: Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne, Professor, Neuroscience
Trainees: Cole Kennedy, Naz Babaei, Samantha Coleborn

3:45pm
Closing Remarks

The Better Choices, Better Health® Online Self-Management Program, is the online version of the internationally recognised Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, developed and tested at the Stanford University Patient Education Centre. 

This is a free, six-session, asynchronous web-based program offered on a dedicated website that meets government privacy requirements. It is open to BC adults of all ages living with one or more ongoing health conditions.   A computer and internet connection are required; no web-cams needed; and participants do not need to be online at the same time.

In this group (max. 25 participants), moderated by two trained peer facilitators, you will learn about:

• Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation
• Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance
• Appropriate use of medications
• Communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals
• Healthy eating
• Making informed treatment decisions
• Disease-related problem solving
• Advanced directives

The Better Choices, Better Health Program enhances regular treatment and disease-specific education.

Sessions are highly participative through internal messaging and online discussion boards. Log in at your convenience for about 1.5 to 2 hours per week.

Weekly activities include:

• Reading
• Making and posting a weekly action plan
• Participating in problem-solving and guided exercises on bulletin boards
• Participating in self-tests and activities

To register, see https://www.selfmanagementbc.ca/betterchoices 

For more information please visit www.selfmanagementbc.ca or call TOLL FREE: 1-866-902-3767