'Believe and you will succeed': Gutman

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By Paul Mayne
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
With an aging population, combined with Canada's low 1.5 birth rate, gerontologist Gloria Gutman says graduates will "have their pick of jobs" as they start their new careers.
 
 
“Some in Canada are predicting economic disaster as a result of fewer young people and more older people,” says Gutman, who sees the other side of the coin. “What people don’t stop to think about is, if there are fewer babies to pay for, there will be more money available to spend on the older population. In fact, lower fertility rates will be a boost to economic stability.”
 
 
Gloria Gutman
 
 
Gutman spoke to about 500 graduates from the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, and the Faculty of Health Sciences (except Nursing) at the June 15 morning session of Western's 295th Convocation.
 
The university conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LL.D.) upon Gutman - the first for a gerontologist at Western - in recognition of her contributions as an international authority in the field of gerontology and having developed and directed both the Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre and its Gerontology department from 1982 to 2005.
 
A proponent of health aging, Gutman has devoted her life to improving community, long-term care and hospital environments for older people. She is a distinguished world leader in the field of gerontology and an internationally respected educator and author, with more than 20 books and 200 scholarly articles and reports.
 
Educated in British Columbia and Alberta prior to the existence of programs in what was to become her chosen area, Gutman went on to pioneer the field of gerontology in B.C. She was founding president of the Gerontology Association of British Columbia and was instrumental in establishing the Dr. Tong Louie Living Laboratory in B.C. to study the application of technology to improve housing, work and leisure environments of older persons and persons with disabilities.
 
On the international scene, Gutman was president of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics from 2001-2005, and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Council on the Challenge of Gerontology in 2008. In 2005, she was presented with the prestigious Rosalie Wolf Award by the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse.
 
In 2007, Gutman was made a member of the Order of British Columbia in recognition of her innovative, cutting edge work in the field of gerontology.
 
Most recently, Gutman was part of a ‘geron-technology’ conference in Vancouver where she says the future of elderly care was going high-tech.
 
“It’s more than just wheelchairs and walkers today,” she says.“This is a new field of research, education and practice which is becoming much more broad and includes robots, 3G telecommunications devices and remote monitoring.”
 
Gutman made note today (June 15) is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, informing the graduates of its unfortunate prevalence in society.
 
“Just as there is no excuse for child abuse, there is no excuse for abusing older people,” she says. “Education is one of the more important tools we have to combat such abuse.”
 
In her citation, Director of the School of Health Studies Marita Kloseck spoke of Gutman as visionary, innovative, practical, principled, forthright and generous.
 
“It has been said that this demographic revolution will parallel the magnitude of the industrial revolution, reshaping societies over the next century,” says Kloseck. “Gloria Gutman is one of the true pioneers in the field of aging; an example to all who work toward a better society for older individuals.”
 
Gutman told graduates they have “unparalleled opportunity” to be creative in their careers that lie ahead and that all have the ability to change the future.
 
“Those of you who are on the threshold of your careers, the future is even brighter. There will be opportunities that no one has dreamed of. Simply believe in what you are doing and you will succeed.”    
 
As part of the ceremony, the status of Professor Emerita was conferred upon Thelma Sumsion, School of Occupational Therapy.
 

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