Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to page-level navigation Go to the Disability Resource Centre Website Go to the DRC Booking Accommodation Portal Go to the Inclusive Technology Lab Website
The University of British Columbia
UBC - A Place of Mind
The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus
UBC Okanagan News
  • Research
  • People
    • Student Profile
    • Faculty Profile
    • Alumni Spotlight
  • Campus Life
    • Campus News
    • Student Life
    • Teaching & Learning
  • Community Engagement
  • About the Collection
    • Stories for Media
  • UBCO Events
  • Search All Stories
Home / 2021 / February / 24 / The month of March is set aside to embrace aging in the Okanagan
Health

The month of March is set aside to embrace aging in the Okanagan

February 24, 2021

Naomi Mison, who is hosting an event to discuss virtual solutions to support loved ones during COVIID-19, has a conversation with her mother on Skype.

Naomi Mison, who is hosting an event to discuss virtual solutions to support loved ones during COVIID-19, has a conversation with her mother on Skype.

More than 30 virtual events are lined up, from health tips to art classes

This March will be the eighth annual Embrace Aging month taking place across the Okanagan.

Organized each spring by UBC Okanagan’s Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP), the goal is to raise awareness and educational opportunities on issues relevant to seniors and their families, explains Nursing Professor Joan Bottorff, director of the IHLCDP.

“After living with COVID-19 for a year, we have all learned how important all aspects of health are—good physical, mental and social health is vital for us all,” says Bottorff. “This is especially important for our aging population.”

Bottorff says that by 2036 it is projected older adults will account for 25 per cent of Canada’s population. That statistic alone makes programs that support successful and healthy aging vital for everyone.

“Embrace Aging Month brings into focus the importance of supporting older adults in our communities,” she adds. “We have organized a variety of events that will share information aimed at bettering the quality of life among older adults.”

Co-sponsored by Interior Savings Credit Union and Interior Health, March is filled with more than 30 free events, workshops and activities for seniors, their families and caregivers

But, she notes, the workshops go beyond supplying healthy aging tips.

“It’s also about having fun, consciously making a point to enjoy our days, even though some people may feel separated or isolated during the pandemic,” Bottorff says.

This year event organizers have teamed up with Border Free Bees to offer a number of workshops including how to build a home for mason bees and how to become a bee ambassador. Other events include online painting classes, a beading workshop, estate planning, walking tips, scam protection ideas and a Women in Syilx culture presentation by Kelowna Museums.

Participants will also hear from UBC Okanagan students and faculty about the latest research on the importance of gut health, nutrition, stroke care, tips on transitioning into a care home or aging at home, advice on how to get a good night’s sleep and tips to prevent falls.

All events, free and open to the public, will be offered virtually via Zoom. To learn more, visit: okanaganembraceaging.com

Media Contact

Patty Wellborn
Media Relations Strategist
University Relations

The University of British Columbia
Okanagan campus
Tel: 250 317 0293
E-mail: patty.wellborn@ubc.ca

Content type: Media Release
More content from: Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP)

Trending Stories

  • Reimagining the PhD
  • Propelling artificial intelligence to new heights
  • UBCO faculty members to voice concern at Columbia River ...
  • Why don’t we eat turkey eggs?
  • How the arts can help us live with climate ...
All Stories
Contact Media Relations

About UBC Okanagan

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, in whose traditional, ancestral and unceded territory the campus resides. The most established and influential global rankings all consistently place UBC in the top five per cent of universities in the world, and among the top three Canadian universities.

The Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

Discover more about UBC Okanagan

Find a Program Admissions Book a Tour UBCO Facts
UBC Okanagan Campus News, University Relations

Innovation Precinct Annexation 1 (IA1)
3505 Spectrum Court
Kelowna, BC Canada V1V 2Z1

We respectfully acknowledge the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples, in whose traditional, ancestral, unceded territory UBC Okanagan is situated.

 

Search all stories

Subscribe to receive news by email

Visit UBC's Vancouver news room

Global and Admin Messages

News

Okanagan Campus

TikTok icon Linkedin icon

UBC Okanagan News
Okanagan Campus
3333 University Way
Kelowna, BC Canada V1V 1V7
Find us on
  
Back to top
The University of British Columbia
  • Emergency Procedures |
  • Terms of Use |
  • Copyright |
  • Accessibility