Reimagining aging

This is a call to those who see aging not as a challenge to manage, but as an opportunity to reimagine how we live, learn, and connect across generations. 

As Ontario’s first age-friendly university, Trent is rethinking what aging can be. Through community-engaged and interdisciplinary research, the University is helping to shape a future in which people live well as they age, supported by insight, collaboration, and care. 

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Reimagining Our Understanding of Aging 

As Canada’s population ages, Trent is helping redefine what it means to grow older through community-centred research and learning. 

Aging studies are integrated across programs, including Nursing, Psychology, Indigenous Studies, Kinesiology, Canadian Studies, and Political Studies, while intergenerational initiatives connect students and older adults through shared learning and community engagement. 

Through the globally recognized Trent Centre for Aging & Society, researchers and community partners examine diverse experiences of aging, including Indigenous perspectives, to help inform policy and strengthen community supports while challenging ageist assumptions.  

Your support will help expand programs, deepen research, and build communities where people age with dignity and connection. 

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building an intergenerational community at trent 

Trent is developing a one-of-a-kind Intergenerational Community where people live, learn, and connect across generations while reshaping how aging is experienced and supported.  

The community will serve as a hub for aging and wellness, integrating the natural landscape with flexible housing, shared community spaces, and technology-enabled safety features. Planning will also consider integration with the adjacent long-term care home and the University while anticipating a growing need for home-based dementia care.  

You can help shape Canada’s first intergenerational university community and support a new model for aging with dignity and connection. 

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Using Technology and Connection to Transform Dementia Care 

Psychology professor and TCAS executive member Dr. Raheleh Saryazdi leads the Cognition, Health, Aging and Technology (CHAT) Lab, where her interdisciplinary team collaborates with partners such as the Alzheimer Society of Durham Region to understand how sensory processing, memory, and technology influence the everyday experiences of people living with dementia. 

By designing and testing practical, technology-supported interventions, Dr. Saryazdi is helping create a more compassionate, connected future for people living with dementia, while preparing students to lead this important work in their own careers.