Title: Addressing mental health of immigrant and culturally diverse seniors: Integration of research, practice and policy
Presenter: Daniel Lai PhD, RSW
Date: October 11, 2011
View the recording of this webinar
Description of Webinar
Older adults in the immigrants and culturally diverse populations are considered to be vulnerable, as their needs are often overlooked and their voices are unheard. As a result, the mental health needs of these subgroups are often not adequately addressed. Myths and misconceptions toward immigrant and culturally diverse seniors continue to prevail, further hindering community’s capacity to develop culturally competent approaches to address mental health of immigrant and culturally diverse seniors.
Based upon existing research findings on mental health of immigrant and culturally diverse seniors in Canada, Dr. Lai will examine the determinants, and challenges of mental health. Using a case example of community capacity development in a Chinese-Canadian community, he will share how community networks would address array of mental health related issues of immigrant and culturally diverse seniors.
Presenter Biography
Daniel Lai, PhD, RSW, is Professor and Associate Dean (Research & Partnerships) of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. For years, Dr. Lai’s teaching and research focus on relationship between culture, health, and well being of aging immigrants and culturally diverse populations, family caregiving issues, and social policy issues related to population aging. Daniel publishes extensively, with over 80 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters, and over 300 conference papers and invited presentations.
His research expertise is well recognized in different parts of the world, as indicated through his association with different research organizations. For example, he is an Invited Senior Researcher of the Jiangsu Gerontology Association, Honorary Research Fellow at the Sau Po Centre on Ageing of The University of Hong Kong, and Research Affiliate of the Prairie Metropolis Centre.
As a Registered Social Worker in Alberta, Daniel is highly involved in policy development and community services, striving to integrate research, practice, and policy. He was a member of the Demographic Planning Commission in Alberta and involved in the development of the Population Aging Framework of the Government of Alberta. At the community level, Daniel had also served on many non-profit boards, including AMSSA (Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Services Agencies of BC), Canadian Mental Health Association in Calgary, and United Way of Calgary and Area. Currently, he sits a board member of the Alzheimer Society of Calgary, Canadian Association of Gerontology, and Calgary Family Services.
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