Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging
Our Values
Age-Friendly University Project Grants Program
The Centre on Aging, in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Commitments, is pleased to announce the launch of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Project Grants Program. This new funding opportunity provides grants of up to $40,000 to support faculty and staff in leading age-friendly change by developing and implementing their own AFU initiatives.
Applications open: September 8, 2025
Deadline: November 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Featured Research
Not just a round of golf: The co-creation of an inclusive golf program and participants’ experiences and program outcomes
Individuals with dementia and their care partners often experience barriers to being physically active and socially connected, both of which are important for well-being. To help address these barriers, the City of Calgary developed Fore! The Love of Golf, a golf program for people with dementia and their care partners to participate in together. A research team from UCalgary, led by Dr. Meghan McDonough in the Faculty of Kinesiology, studied the co-creation of the golf program, participants’ experiences, and program outcomes.
Many participants with dementia felt empowered by the opportunity to golf again and enjoyed connecting with others they could relate to. While some felt nervous about their golf skills or experienced challenges when the program did not fully align with their needs or goals, they still described the overall experience as very positive.
Care partners found that support from staff and volunteers helped create a safe, welcoming environment and offered a much-needed break from some of their caregiving responsibilities. They also received emotional support through meaningful social connections, and found validation and insight by seeing how others navigated similar dementia-related challenges.
Most participants were retired and all were straight couples, where the husband exhibited moderate cognitive impairments and the wife had a relatively high level of caregiving responsibility. This suggests the program may have been particularly attractive to those with moderate levels of dementia.
Informed by insights from this research, the City of Calgary developed a toolkit for recreational programs for individuals with dementia. They also expanded their program offerings for people with dementia to include gentle fitness and yoga classes, in addition to continuing their golf program.
Recent News
Sept. 17, 2025
UCalgary researchers show brain shunts significantly benefit older adults with hydrocephalus
June 25, 2025
Scholarship invests in Indigenous students — and keeps UCalgary retirees connected
June 20, 2025
'Nothing threatening about it': U of C study explores how robots could address social isolation in seniors
June 20, 2025
Class of 2025: Continuing education graduates prove it’s never too late to start something new
June 1, 2025
Preventing urinary tract infections after menopause: What every woman should know
May 23, 2025
Expansion funding identifies cause of sex-dependent vulnerability in Alzheimer's disease
May 6, 2025
Follow-up test for high blood pressure condition not worthwhile, researchers say
April 1, 2025
UCalgary researchers find important clues contributing to Alzheimer's disease
March 7, 2025
Closing the gap: How the O’Brien Institute is driving change in women’s health