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Meet Zee, one of our #SmartLittleDolls — designed by researchers in Hong Kong to support engagement, communication, and well-being among older adults in long-term care, including people living with dementia. Learn more about the project: idea.nursing.ubc.ca/2026/05/21/s...

Two UBC IDEA Lab team members, Veronica and Amber, smile while sitting at a Hong Kong-style café table with Zee, a SmartLittle Doll, placed between them. The table includes pineapple buns, egg tarts, and a glass of Hong Kong-style milk tea.

Exciting news: UBC has officially received the #AgeFriendlyUniversity designation and joined the Age-Friendly University Global Network. Learn about how we’ve contributed evidence through our project:

Towards an Age-Friendly University: Insights from Culturally Diverse Community-Dwelling Older Adults - UBC IDEA Lab

idea.nursing.ubc.ca

Proud to see @ubc-vnursing.bsky.social @agingsmart.bsky.social PhD candidate Joey Wong and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Yi-Ting Chiu presenting their research at the CASN/ACESI 2026 Biennial Canadian Nursing Education Conference in Mississauga 🇨🇦

PhD candidate Joey Wong standing and smiling in front of a CASN/ACESI conference backdrop.

Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Yi-Ting Chiu presenting at the CASN/ACESI 2026 Biennial Canadian Nursing Education Conference. The presentation slide reads “Digital Companions in Dementia Care: A Scoping Review to Inform Nursing Education for the Future.”

Congratulations to PhD candidate Lily Haopu Ren and PhD student Yong Zhao on receiving the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) from the CIHR. We are excited to celebrate their work advancing aging and dementia care.

PhD candidate Lily Haopu Ren and PhD student Yong Zhao stand side by side with arms crossed. Lily, an Asian woman, wears glasses, a beige blazer, and a cream turtleneck; Yong, an Asian man, wears a light blue dress shirt and red tie.

Join us at the West Vancouver Memorial Library on Friday, Oct 30 at 7pm for “Big Ideas: The Future of Aging,” featuring a World Café conversation on the future of aging and care. Come meet our robots and share your ideas for age-inclusive futures. Register for free: westvanlibrary.ca/event/big-id...

Big Ideas: The Future of Aging - West Vancouver Memorial Library

Interested in exploring the future of aging and technology? Whether you are an older adult, caregiver, lifelong learner, community builder, or professional in aging, health, or planning, join us at th...

westvanlibrary.ca

Thank you to Vanessa Lo, Co-Founder and CEO of VanTech Med, for presenting at our UBC IDEA Lab Lunch and Learn today and introducing us to Sunny-1, an intelligent companion robot designed for older adults.

Vanessa Lo, Co-Founder and CEO of VanTech Med, speaks to students beside a UBC IDEA Lab laptop as Dr. Lillian Hung smiles while holding the Sunny-1 humanoid companion robot toward the online audience.

Older adult partners smile and interact with the Sunny-1 humanoid companion robot during a UBC IDEA Lab Lunch and Learn, while other attendees look on.

Research Assistants Veronica Moros, Mary Van, and PhD student Yong (Peter) Zhao presented findings from “Perceptions of Aging Well: A Cross-Cultural Study of Older Adults in Canada” at the @ubcaging.bsky.social Research Day 2026.

We’re at the UBC Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging Research Day 2026 today! First up is Dr. Yi-ting Chiu, @idea.nursing.ubc.ca Postdoctoral Fellow, who shared her PhD work on the #VillageModel for aging-in-place.

UBC IDEA Lab Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Yi-ting (Joyce) Chiu presented findings on “Technology-Enabled Community Resilience for Aging in Place: Evidence from Older-Adult–Led Village Organizations” at the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging Research Day 2026.

Congrats to @nurselillian.bsky.social, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Senior Care @ubc-vnursing.bsky.social, on being named the recipient of the 2026 Innovation & Inquiry Award by NNPBC.

2026 NNPBC Nursing Awards Recipients Announced - NNPBC – Nursing Awards

Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC, the province’s professional association for nursing, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 NNPBC Nursing Awards, recognizing outstanding nurses and nurs...

nursingawards.nnpbc.com

Jeffrey Wong @jeffrey.cspsc.ca · 4mo ago

Our postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Jiangning Fu, presented long-term care findings from our immersive projection technology in dementia care project at #INCREASEBC2026 this morning, and was awarded the people’s choice poster award. Congratulations, Dr. Fu.

Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Jiangning Fu (centre), along with older adult partners Lily Wong (left) and Zarina Chan (right) standing in front of their poster, “Implementing immersive projection technology in dementia care: Staff perspectives from long-term care and hospital settings,” at the INCREASE BC 2026 Conference in Vancouver.

Excited to share that I’ll be starting my MSc in Health Sciences @sfu.ca studying #SocialPrescribing this fall. I’m really grateful for the mentors, collaborators, and communities who’ve supported me along the way. Special thanks to @nurselillian.bsky.social, @idea.nursing.ubc.ca, and @cspsc.ca.

SFU admission letter offering conditional admission to the Health Sciences MSc program for Fall 2026, with conditions related to final transcript submission, maintaining a 3.00 term GPA in the first two terms, and guaranteed minimum funding of $21,000 per year for 2 years.

Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association @cgna.net · 4mo ago

CGNA is pleased to welcome Dr. Lillian Hung as Editor-in-Chief of Perspectives Journal. Dr. Hung is the founder and head of IDEA lab (Innovation in Dementia & Aging). She has expertise in patient-oriented research and knowledge mobilization.

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute @vchresearch.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Discover the importance of engaging people with lived experience in research in a new video from @idea.nursing.ubc.ca, spotlighting the journey of dementia care transitions: buff.ly/lTASe4l @nurselillian.bsky.social @agingsmart.bsky.social

Journey Through Dementia Care Transitions

We are building a Learning Community by bringing people together who care deeply about improving dementia care transitions. Together, we share stories, listen deeply, and learn what truly supports…

youtube.com

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute @vchresearch.bsky.social · 4mo ago

We recently hosted two visiting high school students through UBC STEM Fellowship’s Research Exploration Opportunity. They spent the week exploring our lab through hands-on work with our industry and patient partners, as well as clinical site visits for our Indigenous VR & Digital Companion projects!

Visiting students, researchers, and partners pose together in the UBC IDEA Lab around the Aether robot, which is decorated with a purple skirt and colorful flowers. The visiting students on the left are holding ice cream.

UBC IDEA Lab team posing for a picture at a long-term care site visit, holding VR headsets and controllers, with tables, devices, and project materials visible in the foreground.

🎼 Learning music together may help build confidence, connection & improve quality of life of people living with dementia, according to a new study led by VCHRI researcher Dr. Lillian Hung & @sbmeubc.bsky.social student Jason Fu: www.vchri.ca/stories/2026... #MusicTherapyAwarenessMonth #MTA2026

One chord at a time: Community ukulele program builds connection for people living with dementia

Over 700,000 people currently live with a neurocognitive disorder or dementia in Canada. With 61% of them living in a community setting, there is a growing need for equitable, person-centred…

vchri.ca

Excited to share our new study with @SFUGero.bsky.social where we present our qualitative findings from walk-along interviews in the neighbourhood with 26 participants living with mild to moderate dementia, with insights for dementia-friendly #BuiltEnvironment. Read here:

Exploring the Cognitive Aspects of Walking in the Neighbourhoods among People Living with Dementia

AbstractBackground and Objectives. The population living with dementia has been growing globally. Supportive neighbourhood environments are essential for m

doi.org

Our study on a 12-week community ukulele program co-led by a person living with dementia was recently featured by @VCHResearch.bsky.social’s Research Insider. Check it out:

One chord at a time: Community ukulele program builds connection for people living with dementia

Over 700,000 people currently live with a neurocognitive disorder or dementia in Canada. With 61% of them living in a community setting, there is a growing need for equitable, person-centred engagemen...

vchri.ca

@karenwonglokyi2.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Our reflection paper published in @ijqmonline.bsky.social, led by our newly minted PhD candidate Joey Oi Yee Wong, examines the ethical complexities of co-designing a VR program in long-term care and introduces the PARTNER framework for more inclusive #ParticipatoryResearch.

Behind the Scenes of Participation: Ethical Reflections on Power Dynamics in Co-Designing a VR Program in Long-Term Care - Joey Oi Yee Wong, Karen Lok Yi Wong, Albin Soni, Mary Van, Sena Kholmatov, Ka...

Introduction Participatory research (PR) has been found to have a positive impact on people living in long-term care (LTC). Yet, limited attention has been paid...

journals.sagepub.com

I am honoured to have been invited to join The Social Worker Podcast, produced in celebration of the Canadian Association of Social Workers’ 100th anniversary. 😊 thesocialworker.riverside.com/e/the-social...

We are proud to be one of the collaborating institutions of #ISG2026 and are looking forward to delivering 12 presentations at the SFU Harbour Centre from March 26-29, 2026 🇨🇦

Join researchers, designers, developers, manufacturers, service providers, and policy makers from around the world as we explore innovative solutions to enhance the health, well-being, and independence of older adults through technology.

isg2026.com

What’s the role of robotic pets in hospitals? @nurselillian.bsky.social and UBC IDEA Lab trainee Victoria analyzed the case studies of PARO & LOVOT:

Robotic Pets in Hospitals: Fostering Connection

Acute care hospitals often fail to meet the relational needs of older adults with dementia, for whom many environmental stressors can exacerbate behavioral symptoms. Using clinical reflection, we anal...

aacnjournals.org