Centre for Education and Research on Aging
Associate Professor, Nursing (BSN) Program
Director, Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA)
Faculty of Health Sciences
Chilliwack campus at CEP, A2433
Phone: 604-792-0025 ext. 2503
email ShelleyDr. Shelley Canning is an Associate Professor in Nursing at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is the coordinator of UFV’s Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), and a research associate with the Health & Social Innovation Hub (CHASI). Shelley completed her doctoral studies in the School of Nursing at UBC where her dissertation research explores issues of engagement, meaning, and quality of life for older adults with advanced dementia. Shelley obtained her BSN (hons) and MSN from UBC, and prior to this completed a BSc and secondary school teaching certificate at the University of Victoria. Her nursing practice background includes palliative oncology and community health. She has been a faculty member at UFV since 2006 primarily teaching gerontology content. Additionally, Shelley has been involved in a variety of departmental and institutional committees. She is currently a member of the Board of Governors, Senate and the Senate Research Committee Chair. Her teaching is geared towards developing professionalism and supporting best practice with a focus on care for older persons; she also strives to integrate an understanding of the importance of research in supporting evidence informed practice through teaching students in Directed Studies.
PhD - University of British Columbia
MSN - University of British Columbia
BSN (hons) - University of British Columbia
PDP - Secondary Teaching Certificate, University of Victoria
BSc - Microbiology & Biochemistry, University of Victoria
College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia
Association of Registered Nurses of British Columbia
Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association
British Columbia Gerontological Nurses Association
Canadian Association of Gerontology
BC History of Nursing Society
Sigma Theta Tau – Xi Eta Chapter
Shelley's research interests have focused on older adults living in residential care. She is interested in quality of life issues for residents, particularly those with dementia. Her dissertation research uses focused ethnography to explore meaningful engagement for older adults with advanced dementia living in long-term care nursing homes. Shelley is interested in methods that produce visual data and seek the perspective of individuals with advanced dementia. Past research has explored arts-based interventions and inter-generational relationships. Along with CERA colleague Darren Blakeborough (UFV MACS) and Dr. Michael Gaetz (UFV KIN), Shelley was involved in research which partnered children from local elementary schools with residents in care in an intergenerational dance program, culminating in the production of a documentary film – “They aren’t scary”. Shelley also completed a study with Dr. Lesley Jessiman (CERA & UFV Psychology) exploring ageism.
International Conferences:
Canning, S., & St-Martin, E. (2021). Navigating Arts-based Artefacts: Exploring Children’s Drawings and Letters in an Intergenerational Pen Pals Project. Thinking Qualitatively International Conference. Virtual Conference, July. (poster)
Hung, L., Gregorio, M., Jackson, L., Mann, J., Berndt, A., Wallsworth, C., Wong, L., Leitch, S., Gan, D., Canning, S., Chaudhury, H., & Phinney, A. (2020). Creating a Dementia-Friendly Community for Social Inclusion: a Scoping Review. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Virtual Conference, July. (poster)
Canning, S., & Phinney, A.(2019). Living with advanced dementia: continued attempts and enduring abilities. International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden, May.
Canning, S., & Phinney, A.(2019). Observations of the observed: use of video-data to illuminate the experiences of living with advanced dementia. International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden, May.
Canning, S., & Phinney, A.(2018). Narrative methods for navigating movement between times and places in advanced dementia. Narrative Matters, Enschede, Netherlands, July.
Canning, S., & Phinney, A.(2018). Slow data and slow data gathering narrate journeys through advanced dementia. Narrative Matters, Enschede, Netherlands, July. (poster presentation)
Canning, S., Phinney, A. (2018). Researcher roles and reflexivity: challenges and implications of the nurse-researcher. 2018 Qualitative Methods Conference, Banff, Alberta, May.
Canning, S. (2017). Exploring engagement in dementia: emerging theoretical and methodological approaches. IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, San Francisco, California, USA, July. (poster presentation)
Jessiman, L., & Canning, S. (2017). Ageing and dementia: curbing negative attitudes to increase meaningful connections. British Society of Gerontology, Swansea, Wales, UK, July. (poster presentation)
Blakeborough, D., & Canning, S. (2017). “They aren’t scary”: An inter-generational dance project. British Society of Gerontology, Swansea, Wales, UK, July. (symposium)
Canning, S. (2016). Understanding the social and emotional engagement of older adults with advanced dementia living in long-term care through their participation in an inter-generational dance programme. Life with Dementia, Norrkoping, Sweden, October.
National Conferences:
Canning, S., Cusick, N.*, Klassen, R.*, Hung, L., Affleck, F., & Phinney, A. (2021). Nursing students and seniors: using technology to maintain social connections during Covid19. Canadian Association on Ageing Conference, Oct.
Canning, S., Cusick, N*, Kwidzinski, L., & Blakeborough, D. (2021). Looking back: remembering an intergenerational ballet programme. Canadian Association on Ageing Conference, Oct.
Canning, S., & St-Martin E. (2021). Intergenerational pen pals: bridging social isolation through narratives. Canadian Gerontological Nurses’ Association Conference, April.
Drew, C.*, & Canning, S. (2021). Exploring the understanding and comfort levels of nursing students with medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Canadian Gerontological Nurses’ Association Conference, April. (poster presentation)
Jessiman, L., Canning, S., Hysniu, B., Drew, C., & Myge, I. (2018). Age-friendly universities, the ideal setting to reduce ageist opinions and beliefs. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (poster presentation)
Jessiman, L., Canning, S., & Yeo, B. (2018). The Absence of Appropriate Care: An Examination of Older & Younger Adult’s Perceptions of Elder Abuse. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (poster presentation)
Jessiman, L., Canning, S., Hysniu, B.*, Drew, C.*, & Myge, I*. (2018). Age-friendly universities, the ideal setting to reduce ageist opinions and beliefs. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (poster presentation)
Canning, S. (2018). Sharing the sameness: a window on long-term care residents’ experiences and perspectives. Canadian Association of Ageing, Vancouver, October. (symposium participant)
Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2017). Understanding the Social and Emotional Engagement of Persons with Advanced Dementia living in Long-term Care Homes. Canadian Association of Ageing, Winnipeg, October.
Canning, S., & Nelmes, J. (2016). Directed study: an old course offering new opportunities. CASN Canadian Nursing Education Conference, Toronto, May.
Regional Conferences:
Canning, S. (2021). Age-friendliness: promoting awareness and opportunities. Gerontological Nurses Association Annual Conference, Victoria April. (invited presenter)
Canning, S. (2020). How vestiges of the past point to the meaning in the present for people living with advanced dementia. Gerontological Nurses Association of BC. Vancouver, April. (abstract submitted).
Canning, S. (2019). Exploring the link between the arts and well-being: how arts-based interventions support the well-being of persons living with dementia. Trinity Western University, Langley, September.
Canning, S. (2016). Supporting quality of life in persons with dementia: arts-based & inter-generational programming. Gerontological Nurses Association of BC. Vancouver, April. (Closing speaker - invited).
Other presentations (past 3 years):
Science Talks 2021:
-invited speaker:Ageism: the challenges of staying engaged and included
December 2020: Nurse and Nurse Practitioners of BC
-invited webinar panelist: Optimizing Family Presence: Nurses Role in LTC
Sept 2020: Canadian Gerontology Nurses’ Association
-invited speaker: Ageism
April 2019: Chilliwack Probus Club
-invited speaker: Intergenerational Relationships
April 2018: UBC Centre for Research on Personhood in Dementia
-invited panelist to discuss Arts & Health a focus on evidence and methods
April 2018: UFV PD Day
-presenter with JoAnne Nelmes (UFV Nursing): Utilizing "Directed Study" courses to provide rich learning and research opportunities: a Nursing example
February 2018: UFV Micro-Lecture Series
-presenter: Exploring the Enduring Abilities of People Living with Advanced Dementia to Engage in Relationships
Canning, S. E., & Drew, C. (2021). Exploring the understanding and comfort levels of nursing students with medical assistance in dying (MAiD). (aubmitted).
Canning, S. E. (2020). Understanding the experience of emotional and social engagement for people with advanced dementia living in long-term care. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of British Columbia. Retrieved from University of British Columbia: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/76261
Canning, S., & Blakeborough, D. (2019) Intergenerational Dance in Long-term Care: An Opportunity for Social Citizenship for Older Adults Living with Dementia. BC Studies, no. 202 Summer, 167-179.
Blakeborough, D., & Canning, S. (2019) Intergenerational Dance in Long-term Care: An Opportunity for Social Citizenship for Older Adults Living with Dementia. BC Studies, no. 202 Summer, (Practice Exemplar).
Canning, S. E., Gaetz, M., & Blakeborough, D. (2020). It takes time: Building relationships and understanding through an inter-generational ballet programme. Dementia, 19(2), 270-284. doi.org/10.1177/1471301218772895
Canning, S., & Phinney, A. (2015). Data collection and knowledge translation through documentary film: ‘They Aren’t Scary’. Perspectives, 38(1), 6-12.
Canning, S. (1995). The experience of nurses caring for young-middle aged patients dying of cancer. (Masters Thesis, University of British Columbia). Retrieved from University of British Columbia on-line access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/4152
“In CERA, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Dr. Lesley Jessiman. I’d always had an interest on the social aspects of aging. I remember being in Lesley’s classroom (Adulthood and Aging) and realizing I could do research on this. It was almost a perfect fit.”
-Larissa Kowalski
UFV grad, Sociology with a concentration in Social Research and extended minor in Psychology.