The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened our health and communities, including some of our most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. Canadians and global citizens have been confronted with a myriad of questions related to COVID-19, aging, and care – Have we failed or succeeded in our duty to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society? What are the lessons learned around long-term care? How will the pandemic influence our long-term strategy for healthy aging?

On Wednesday, July 22 at 11:30 EDT, members of the Queen’s alumni and research community, will address these and other important and timely questions during a virtual discussion moderated by Jane Philpott, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, who recently worked on the front lines of the crisis.

The free, open-to-the-public event is part of the Conversations Confronting COVID-19 series, a collaboration between Advancement and University Relations, which was launched as part of the Discover Research@Queen’s campaign. The series brings Queen’s research expertise to bear on both the challenges and unique opportunities the pandemic has presented -- from how to understand and treat the virus, to how to cope with life in quarantine, and what life will look like when we surface from this international crisis.

During Wednesday’s discussion, Dr. Philpott will be joined by a number of experts within health care, research and policy-making at the local, national, and international levels. They are:

• Ms. Laura Tamblyn Watts, Artsci’94, CEO, CanAge 
• Dr. John Puxty, Associate Professor, Chair, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University; member of the Canadian Frailty Network
• Dr. Kevin Woo, Associate Professor, School of Nursing and School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University; member of the Canadian Frailty Network
• Dr. Catherine Donnelly, Rehab’95, PhD’13, Associate Professor, School of Rehabilitation Therapy; Director, Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Queen’s University

“This dynamic discussion will shed light on what has happened within these communities, our preparedness for a crisis, and how we can move forward in support of aging Canadians,” says Dr. Philpott. “I look forward to engaging with our panelists on the important work that our researchers, students, and affiliates are doing in our efforts to understand and confront the challenges associated with the pandemic.”

The Conversations Confronting COVID-19 series is free and open to the public. To register for the event on Wednesday, July 22, please visit the Queen’s Alumni website. To learn more about research at the university, visit the Research@Queen’s website.