Linking Research and the 2010 Games to Promote Active Aging
Annual BCNAR Conference brings attention to increasing physical activity among our aging population
The World Health Organization has adopted the term active aging as a vital health objective. To identify how research can be utilized to support active aging, and to improve population health characteristics for older adults leading up to the 2010 Games, the BC Network for Aging Research (BCNAR) will host a conference entitled “Promoting Active Aging by Connecting BC Researchers and Communities: Towards 2010 and Beyond, on April 3, 2008 at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
The 2010 Olympic Games provides an opportunity to encourage active lifestyles for everyone, including older adults. The overall objective of the conference is to provide a forum for researchers, community members, and other stakeholders interested in the role the 2010 Olympic Games will have on physical activity levels among older adults.
We want to develop research and evaluation programs to measure the degree to which activity levels are affected at the individual and population level by the various programmatic efforts being developed as part of the 2010 activities,says Andrew Wister, conference Chair.
The BCNAR has assembled a comprehensive program with a notable line-up of presenters, such as, keynote speaker Dr. Adrian Bowman, Professor of Public and Health, Behavioural Epidemiology and Health Promotion at University of Sydney, Australia. Dr. Bowman, an international expert, will discuss his research of the impact mass sporting events have on population health and will apply this work to the 2010 Games and Vancouver’s aging population.
The conference also features prominent speakers who will provide examples of direct experience, suggestions and best practices in promoting active aging. Jim Hamilton, Special Advisor, Healthy Aging, Public Health Agency of Canada will outline how governments are collaborating with multiple partners to create age-friendly communities across the country and address how programs and activities linked to the 2010 Olympics can learn from other initiatives aimed at increasing active aging.
Suzanne Allard Strutt, CEO, BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA), will speak on the development of the Active Communities Initiative and the BCRPA’s province-wide consultation to collect input related to existing seniors strategies and identify the services, supports, barriers and gaps in assisting seniors in staying active.
A project initiated by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and the Public Health Agency of Canada to examine existing physical activity guidelines, guides and measurement protocols for Canadians of all ages will be discussed by Dr. Mark Tremblay, Director of Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. He will also share the importance to study the impact of future interventions.
Kelly Murumets, President and CEO, PaticipACTION will share with participants the organization’s vision and strategies to promote physical activity and sport participation by playing key roles in four areas.
This year's conference provides an opportunity for participants to learn about what work is being done at the research and policy level to promote active aging through research. More importantly, participants will have the chance to discuss, develop, plan, implement, and evaluate the opportunities provided by the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games to improve the level of physical activity of older adults in our province.
BCNAR has identified four key research theme areas in active aging which will be a focus at the conference. It is our hope that we can generate tangible and successful research and evaluation projects from these theme areas. Our goal is to establish research programs that will provide us with important information about the level of physical activity among British Columbians, how this level is affected by the 2010 Games, and how to promote and support ‘active aging’ in our province in the future says Sarah-Jane Lusina, Regional Liaison Officer for BCNAR
The conference presentation and proceeding will be broadcast live at www.bcnar.ca , The broadcasts will also be available on the BCNAR website for future access.
