Earlier this year, our Canadian Board Director Dan Levitt MSc CHE, decided to step back from the role; all our Board Directors give their time voluntarily and we greatly appreciate the time and valuable contribution Dan gave us in his four years of service.
As an acclaimed international speaker, elder care leader, writer, and gerontologist, specialising in helping others to create better lives for seniors, Dan was a valuable member of the team.
During his four years, Dan was instrumental in building our relationships and networks in countries in the Caribbean and Americas, and investigating ways in which we could support leaders and care service providers in this region of the Commonwealth.
He was part of our ‘Setting up a Healthy Ageing Task Force for Mauritius’ delegation and as a popular professional speaker, the former CEO of Kin Village and Executive Director of Tabor Home Society, has delivered many inspiring keynote speeches impacting and inspiring thousands of people across the world.
Last year, we were delighted Dan could join the Commonwealth team in Scotland at the Global Ageing Network’s biennial conference, 7 and 8 September 2023, where he presented at the Workforce Summit. Held the day before, 6 September, the Summit acted as a precursor to the main conference, and delegates discussed what are possibly the biggest challenges for the global social care sector: recruitment, retention and training.
His presentation at the Summit focused on ageism in long term care; Dan believes there needs to be change in ageist language and terminology, and there was a need ‘to see people as people, not as residents or fulfilling an ageist stereotype.’
He points out there is a fear of growing older, and older people (gerontophobia), and this is reinforced by other aspects of society, such as ‘an anti-ageing section in the supermarket’ or ‘having senior moment’; even ‘birthday cards are generally ageist’.
Plus, when it comes to care settings, Dan says the location of many care homes are isolated from the community. ‘Care settings should be in communities and integrated with them,’ he pointed out.
At the conference, he was also a panel member discussing how we can all achieve sustainable solutions for Ageing and Social Care.
Dan also regularly contributes thought-leadership articles, (such as this one here, which we had permission to use) to Canadian mainstream media.
Thank you, Dan for your passion, tremendous work, valued experience and long-standing commitment and dedication to CommonAge – you will be missed!
We wish him all the best as he starts his new role as BC Seniors Advocate, with the Office of the Seniors Advocate, British Columbia, Canada.
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