This live virtual event, facilitated by Compassionate Ottawa volunteer Mary Lou Kelley, will feature a conversation with Sue Garvey and Vince DePaul. Together, they will discuss the fast-growing pan-Canadian Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) movement and will spotlight Ottawa’s own Oasis pilot project as an exemplary case. Oasis is an older adult-driven model of aging in place, located within NORCs, and stems from an Aging at Home collaboration with Queens University. Vince serves as co-Principal Investigator for this collaboration, while Sue plays a key role as an active volunteer. Following the discussion, there will be time for questions and comments.
Click the button above to open the registration page on Zoom. From there, enter your name and email address and click “Register.” You will then receive a confirmation email from Zoom with the link to access the session.
Sue Garvey, a graduate of Carleton University’s Masters in Social Work program, retired in 2019 after 23 years with the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa as Executive Director of Cornerstone Housing for Women. She is recognized for her contributions to women’s issues, homelessness, and affordable housing, receiving awards such as the Governor General’s Jubilee Medal, the Marion Dewar Defender of the Public Good Award, and the Key to the City of Ottawa. Currently, Sue serves part-time as a policy advisor to Ottawa City Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, focusing on women’s and gender equity, affordable housing, and age-friendly cities. Additionally, she volunteers her efforts toward advocating for and implementing Ottawa’s first Oasis pilot project, an Aging at Home collaboration with Queen’s University.
Vince DePaul is a Physiotherapist and Associate Professor at Queen’s University. He co-leads the Oasis Project with his colleague Dr. Catherine Donnelly. The Oasis Project is a community-based participatory study that aims to co-develop, implement and evaluate the Oasis Program to promote healthy aging in naturally occurring retirement communities. Vince completed his Physiotherapy Degree at McMaster University, and worked in Hamilton for many years as a clinician before earning his PhD in Rehabilitation Science. He has lived in Kingston since 2015 but frequently comes to Ottawa to visit two of his adult children, as well as his new Oasis friends and collaborators in Ottawa.
Mary Lou Kelley MSW, PhD has been engaged in practice, teaching and research in gerontology and palliative care since 1972. Major contributions involved co-creating strategies to provide palliative care in rural and First Nations communities and long-term care homes. She was the recipient of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association’s Award of Excellence (2011), the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) and the Ontario Hospice Palliative Care Visionary award (2015) in recognition of her career contribution to Canadian palliative care practice, education, and research. After 35 years as a professor at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, she retired in 2015 and relocated to Ottawa to be with family. Mary Lou has been a volunteer with Compassionate Ottawa since 2016 where she works with multicultural communities to support developing community care networks.
Conversations with Leaders is proudly sponsored by Zapior Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities.
