Lifelong Health & Wellbeing Lab at the 2026 Friesen Conference
Members of the Lifelong Health & Wellbeing Lab recently participated in the 2026 Friesen Conference, sharing research and engaging in discussions about healthy aging, community wellbeing, and resilience in later life.
As part of the conference, Miranda Covinha presented a poster titled "How Older Adults' Experiences of Heat Shape Daily Routines and Activity Habits." The poster highlighted findings from the COPE study, which explores how older adults experience and cope with extreme heat in their everyday lives. Using Photovoice, experience sampling surveys, and thematic analysis, the research examined how heat influences daily routines, activity habits, social participation, commuting, and household tasks among older adults in Metro Vancouver. Findings emphasized the important role of the built environment, access to cooler spaces, and practical coping strategies in supporting healthy aging during periods of extreme heat.
In addition to the poster presentation, Victoria Michalowski, Atiya Mahmood, and Theresa Pauly facilitated a conference session that provided an opportunity to share insights from their research and engage with attendees on issues related to aging, health, and community resilience.
The conference brought together researchers, students, practitioners, and community partners from across the aging sector, creating valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration. We are proud to see members of our team contributing to important conversations that advance research, policy, and practice to support older adults and healthy aging communities.
Congratulations to Miranda, Victoria, Atiya, and Theresa on representing the Lifelong Health & Wellbeing Lab at this year's Friesen Conference!