Through Their Lens: The Impact of Climate Change on Older Adults’ Mental Health

You are warmly invited to two events marking the launch of Through Their Lens: The Impact of Climate Change on Older Adults’ Mental Health on the International Day of Older Persons, Thursday, October 1, 2026.

There will be a webinar and virtual gallery launch from 12:00-1:00 pm PT with speakers from mainland BC and Ontario. Sign-up here for the virtual panel: https://ubc.zoom.us/meeting/register/HMqRtRLQQcuUGHej38OfmA

On the evening, of October 1^st an in-person panel and exhibition launch with a different group of speakers will take place from 5:00–7:00 pm PT at the Greater Victoria Public Library Central Branch.

This exhibition features photographs by older adults in British Columbia exploring how climate change impacts their mental health. The purpose of this exhibition is to amplify public dialogue about climate change and aging through arts-based engagement.

The exhibition emerged from a CIHR-funded study co-led by Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch at the UBC School of Nursing and Monique Beneteau at the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health. Participants were asked to take photographs reflecting on how climate change impacts their mental health. Each photographer-participant chose two of their photos to display and wrote personal reflections to accompany them.

In-Person Panel and Exhibition Launch

The panel will take place on October 1, 2026, 5:00-7:00pm, at the Greater Victoria Public Library Central Branch, 735 Broughton Street, Victoria. It will feature Victoria-based speakers discussing the impact of climate change on older adults’ mental health.

Speakers:

Helen Boyd, Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment

Doug Clarke, Emergency Management Community Liaison, City of Victoria

Lena Rebecca Richardson, Postdoctoral Fellow, Climate Resilience and Health Equity Lab, UBC Nursing

Two research participants:

Karyn Woodland

Susan Neden

Please RSVP for the in-person panel to Helen Boyd at cvnhe@telus.net by September 26th.

We hope you will join us and our local colleagues Seniors for Climate for these important conversations and an opportunity to view the exhibition.