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- Published: 10 February 2022
By Kalie Dutchak
My name is Kalie Dutchak, and I am currently in my fourth year of the Bachelor of Social Work program at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta. I am spending time at Sage Seniors Association for my final semester's practicum. I am primarily working at the safe house shelter for older adults but am also participating in and learning about some of the other programming that Sage has to offer. One group I am co-facilitating is the weekly coffee group for older adults, in which a small group gathers over a cup of coffee to connect through conversation. Thanks to my supervisor, Michele Markham, I have been learning a lot and have also been connected to the CNPEA.
I am passionate about learning as much as I can about ageism, as it will inform my practice as a social worker and make me a stronger advocate for the clients that I serve. I will be dedicating lots of time from this practicum toward a few different projects for the CNPEA:
- Reviewing literature that discusses the issue of ageism.
- Creating a database and inventory of shelters that specifically serve the older adult population across Canada.
- Connecting with different community stakeholders to form some interesting and informational blog posts for the CNPEA.
From my literature review, I hope to learn more about how ageist attitudes, language, and behaviours in our society contribute to the aging experience and how these oppressive labels may negatively impact self-identity for older adults. I will also be looking into how ageism can play a role in elder abuse.
After creating a database of shelters that serve the older adult population, I plan to transform the data into an infographic that will outline the facts and reveal current gaps existing in Canada. As I complete these projects, I plan to make significant connections between theory and practice that will help me define my social work identity.