More than 600 delegates attended the annual Canadian Association on Gerontology conference this past week, which was highlighted by a speech by the Honourable Alice Wong, minister of state for seniors.

The three-day Landscapes of Aging conference was co-hosted by McMaster University and the University’s Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging and featured interdisciplinary talks and sessions by national and international researchers.

“I commend the dedication of the Canadian Association on Gerontology for enhancing the lives of seniors through the creation and dissemination of knowledge,” said Minister Wong. “We are all committed to helping seniors maintain a high quality of life and be active members of their communities.”

Amanda Grenier, director of the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging and an associate professor in the Department of Health, Aging and Society, says demographic changes in the Canadian population mean the research being discussed and presented at the conference is already impacting people’s lives.

“We are talking about real issues that thousands of Canadians are dealing with everyday,” said Grenier. “Minister Wong’s speech and recent government initiatives, such as the launch of the resource website seniors.gc.ca, show we are taking solid steps forward in addressing these issues.”