Sociologist honoured for improving seniors' lives

Chappell

UVic sociologist Dr. Neena Chappell's lifetime of scholarship and service to the scientific and academic communities has earned her a Career Achievement Award from the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of B.C. (CUFA/BC).

Chappell, who holds the Canada Research Chair in social gerontology, has done ground-breaking research on the extent and importance of informal health care support services for seniors. She's internationally known for her work on home care, supporting the case for government expansion in this area to provide more efficient and appropriate health care for an aging society. Her work examines the integration of informal and formal care systems for seniors.

Over the past 26 years, Chappell has led the development of two world-class interdisciplinary research centres on aging at the University of Manitoba and UVic.

She's produced 170 peer-reviewed articles, five books, two edited books and 36 reports, delivered 89 invited addresses and attracted more than $20 million in research funding.

Chappell has also been actively involved in many scholarly and professional organizations and made major contributions to the development of research funding bodies in Canada.

"It's a privilege to spend my time doing what I believe in and enjoy so much," says Chappell. "To be recognized for doing so, is indeed an honour."

CUFA/BC represents approximately 3,600 faculty members, professional librarians and other academic staff at five B.C. universities. In 2002, UVic physiologist Dr. Nancy Sherwood won the CUFA/BC Career Achievement Award. Over the years, a number of UVic professors have won CUFA/BC's Academic of the Year Award: ethno-botanist Dr. Nancy Turner (2002), chemist Dr. Reg Mitchell (2000), and child and youth care professor Dr. Sibylle Artz (1998).

The $1,000 award was presented to Chappell at a CUFA/BC dinner in Vancouver last month.