Bridging the Gap : Building Generational Connections
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
Release Date: 02/14/2025
A Friendly Voice: Just a phone call away
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
We all have a need for social connections, to talk to someone about our day, events in our lives, share stories or whatever is on our mind. Social connections, how we relate to and interact with others, are important to reduce social isolation and loneliness for all ages, but particularly for older adults as we age. In this Episode of Aging Vibrantly, we will talk with France Connor, Manager of 'A Friendly Voice', that provides a free call-in service for adults over 55 years old who live in Ontario or Atlantic Canada. When an older adult calls the toll free number at 1-855-892-9992 they...
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Building Bridges: Intergenerational Classrooms
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
We live in a society that is increasingly separating individuals into age-based groups, which can lead to limited interaction and the potential for negative stereotypes and discrimination, particularly towards older adults. So how can we best address this to build connections and relationships between age groups and generations. In this episode of Aging Vibrantly, host Raeann Rideout and co-host April Struthers, feature the University of Toronto’s Intergenerational Classroom, with guests Dr. Raza Mirza, professor and creator of the program, alongside with Florene Shuber a senior...
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Kindness is Contagious : Standing up Against Senior Bullying
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this episode of Aging Vibrantly, host Raeann Rideout and co-host Pauline Luening talk with Dr. Kirsten Madsen and Liza Franses about standing up against senior bullying and the development of We begin our interview with a brief background on the aim of the project, and evolution of the Toolkit, including the need and importance for the Toolkit, including the collection of data on the prevalence and nature of Senior to Senior bullying in Ontario, Canada that demonstrated seniors have experienced being bullied, engaged in bullying behaviours as well as witnessed bullying behaviours between...
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Preparing for Caregiving
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
Are you providing or receiving care? In this episode of Aging Vibrantly, we speak with Amy Coupal, CEO of Ontario Caregivers Organization (OCO). Podcast host, Raeann Rideout and co-host Tom Warner, learned about the amazing work the OCO conducts to support Ontario’s four million caregivers who provide physical and/or emotional support to family members, partners, friends and neighbours. Our discussion led to understanding the current and future concerns and complexities, prospective caregivers are facing in Ontario and what may be needed support them, based on OCO’s recent Preparing...
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Transforming Care with a National Caregiver Strategy for Canada
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
We are excited to launch Season 2 of Aging Vibrantly with an inspiring leader who is committed to ‘making Canada the best place in the world to give and receive care! In this inaugural episode, host Raeann Rideout and co-host Pauline Luening talk with James Janeiro, Director of Policy and Government Relations for the Canadian Centre for Caregiver Excellence (CCCE). According to the CCCE, “Canada is facing a caregiving crisis that will only get worse without real action. A perfect storm is brewing, demand for care is growing, caregivers are aging, the number of available caregivers...
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Re-Release: Rebelling Against Ageism with Ashton Applewhite: Part 2
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In Episode 2 of our Rebelling Against Ageism Series, host Raeann Rideout, is joined with co-host April Struthers, for a lively discussion on Ageism with our guest Ashton Applewhite, an internationally recognized expert on ageism and leader on healthy aging, author of . In part 2 of our interview, Ashton dives into how we internalize aging and explore the connection between ageism and elder abuse, tips for encouraging intergenerational conversations on aging and her advocacy work as co-founder the , and success stories of Ageism Campaigns, including Ageism Awareness Day, that are...
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Re-Release: Rebelling Against Ageism with Ashton Applewhite : Part 1
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this inaugural episode, host Raeann Rideout, is joined with co-host April Struthers, for a lively discussion on Ageism with our guest Ashton Applewhite, an internationally recognized expert on ageism and leader on healthy aging, author of , and co-founder of the Hub. In Part 1 of our Rebelling Against Ageism Series, Ashton imparts her insights on defining ageism, its prevalence, impacts and where it shows up in our lives from health, policy, and intergenerational dialogue. We learn to check our assumptions and do our own self reflection of internal ageism. Ashton informs us of the...
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Putting a Stop to Frauds and Scams Targeting Seniors
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this final episode of Season 1 of Aging Vibrantly, we are putting a stop to frauds and scams targeting seniors. Our host Raeann Rideout and co-host Mary Ennis, speak with Stephanie Senecal, the Senior Support Unit Coordinator from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, along with Karen Deredin and Bonnie Bednarik, who are senior volunteers at the CAFC, who share their wealth of information and their lived experience to help us gain a better understanding of how frauds happen and actions to take to prevent frauds and scams. Every year, people of all ages fall victim to fraud. Data from the...
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Bridging the Gap : Building Generational Connections
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this episode, Bridging the Gap : Building Generational Connections we explore intergenerational programs that promote understanding and mutual respect among generations, contribute to age friendly communities and have proven to work in addressing ageism. In fact, intergenerational programs are valued and celebrated across Canada and internationally with events held on Intergenerational Day in Canada each year on June 1 and during Global Intergenerational Week which is recognized this year from April 24 - 30, 2025. Join us to listen to our senior expert on intergenerational learning, Sharon...
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Inspirations for Lifelong Learning
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this episode, our guest Olive Bryanton, is the epitome of the life-long learner. Motivated to learn with her unending curiosity and desire to advocate and improve the lives of older adults, we learn about her journey to going back to PEI University to complete her Phd. Floursishing from her research, peer mentoring endevours and organizational connections, led Olive to her current advocacy work in community and government, leadership roles on needs older women in rural areas and role model for other later life learners. In this episode you will learn : How Olive defines life...
info_outlineIn this episode, Bridging the Gap : Building Generational Connections we explore intergenerational programs that promote understanding and mutual respect among generations, contribute to age friendly communities and have proven to work in addressing ageism. In fact, intergenerational programs are valued and celebrated across Canada and internationally with events held on Intergenerational Day in Canada each year on June 1 and during Global Intergenerational Week which is recognized this year from April 24 - 30, 2025.
Join us to listen to our senior expert on intergenerational learning, Sharon Mackenzie, an educator by profession and an advocate of intergenerational connections who shares her many experiences, including the creation of the Meadow School Project, as well as her research and knowledge and informs us why intergenerational connections benefit both youth and seniors.
In this episode you will learn :
- How Sharon grew up with and fostered older adult mentors throughout her life and as a teacher.
- The initiation of the Meadow School Project, where she moved her classroom into a senior care home for 2 months
- The benefits of Intergenerational (IG) programs, including combatting isolation and improving senior’s health.
- New opportunities for IG programs in educational settings to learn about computers, language, share history and traditions.
- The importance of IG work in creating Age-friendly Communities.
- Key messages of inspiration, such as “Make community a verb not a noun”,
- “Aging is the one thing we all have in common” and “doing for doesn't always work, so doing with is better”.
- Intergenerational Day, how it was formed and it celebrated June 1
- Global Intergenerational Week (April 24 - 30) activities across the world.
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Episode Resources:
Websites:
i2i Intergenerational Society of Canada
https://intergenerational.ca/
Generations Working Together
https://generationsworkingtogether.org
IG Day June 1st
https://intergenerational.ca/ig-day/
Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario (EAPO)
https://eapon.ca/
EAPO: Intergenerational Resources
https://eapon.ca/?s=intergenerational
Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
www.cnpea.ca
Toolkits/Guides:
Bringing Together Seniors and Children in the Community, Intergenerational Guide:
Families Canada
Intergenerational Programming Toolkit - City of Edmonton
Report and Documents
WHO Report
Connecting generations: planning and implementing interventions for intergenerational contact
WHO: Age-Friendly World report https://extranet.who.int/agefriendlyworld/afp/intergenerational-project/
WHO: National Programmes for Age-Friendly Cities Guide
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240068698
University New Brunswick: IG Action Plan
https://www.unb.ca/nbirdt/mektu/healthy-seniors-pilot-projects/intergenerational-ig-action-plan.html
NEWS
How ECU Students and Local Seniors are Building Generational Connections through Photography - Emily Carr University (ECU)
https://www.ecuad.ca/news/2024/students-seniors-building-generational-connections-through-photography
Battling social isolation with the power of intergenerational storytelling. Hospital News, https://hospitalnews.com/battling-social-isolation-with-the-power-of-intergenerational-storytelling/
IG storytelling: BC Brain Wellness - Education
https://www.bcbrainwellness.ca/education
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About Sharon Mackenzie
Sharon is truly a leader in building connections between generations. She is an Intergenerational Consultant, Writer, Researcher and the Executive Director of i2i Intergenerational Society that she founded in 2008 with the purpose of bringing youth and older adults together across Canada.
She was an educator for thirty plus years, from Kindergarten to University, and is dedicated to creating intergenerational learning opportunities within the community.
Sharon is a senior herself and has always looked to older adults for support and friendship in her personal life and work. That led her, almost 25 years ago, to initiate The Meadows School Project, a world-renowned compendium of intergenerational immersion research. Learn More
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CREDITS:
This podcast is Funded by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.
Producer: Todd Miller, The Podcast Experts
Podcast Coordinator: Lisa Widdifield
Co-Host: Sherry Baker, Member of Aging Vibrantly Podcast Advisory Committee,
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Don't forget to also check out other episodes on our Youtube channel or wherever you listen to your podcast. Be sure to check our website eapon.ca to learn more resources on abuse prevention and protecting the rights and dignity of older adults.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as constituting or implying endorsement by EAPO of any entity, product, service or organization mentioned, referenced, or linked.