Each year, the YWCA of Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards recognize and celebrate extraordinary women in Metro Vancouver. This event shines a spotlight on the outstanding achievements and contributions of women who significantly impact their communities and beyond. The Active Aging Research Team’s co-principal scientist, Dr. Joanie Sims Gould, is among this year's nominees. Her nomination is in the Research, Sciences, and Technology category.
We congratulate and celebrate Joanie for this well-deserved nomination. She dedicates herself to advancing science and community-based work that enhances the lives and health of older adults. Joanie is the co-principal scientist of the Active Aging Research Team at the University of British Columbia and the co-founder and Executive Director of the Active Aging Society. She commits to understanding how science and society can “add life to later years" so that older adults can live independently in their homes for as long as possible.
One of her many career achievements is the co-creation, implementation, adaptation, and scale of Choose to Move. This model and program have supported community organizations in building greater capacity to support older clients. Choose to Move has reached over 6,000 participants and delivered about 600 programs in partnership across all corners of British Columbia. Choose to Move continues to serve even the hardest-to-reach British Columbians thanks to Joanie’s tireless advocacy and commitment to equity and diversity. Under her leadership and guidance, Choose to Move is increasingly accessible to equity-deserving groups based on geography, sex, gender and ethnocultural differences. Joanie's scholarship on the Choose to Move model has made novel and important contributions to health promotion implementation science.
Joanie’s previous research addressed care shortages and how sharing part-time staff between facilities may have perpetuated the spread of COVID. This vital study influenced hiring policy and saved lives in long-term care settings. Across all her work, she is a compassionate and committed mentor of women in health sciences.
“If my work doesn’t matter to the lives of my grandparents, it’s not worth doing.”
Though her list of accomplishments is extensive and diverse, her drive and dedication emanate from a deeply heartfelt place. She lives by the profound creed: “If my work doesn’t matter to the lives of my grandparents, it’s not worth doing.”
As a nominee for the YWCA Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards, Joanie Sims Gould stands as a shining example of the transformative power of compassion, determination, and advocacy. Her dedication to creating positive change has touched the lives of many, leaving a lasting legacy that extends far beyond Metro Vancouver.
The Women of Distinction Awards honour remarkable women like Joanie Sims Gould and remind us of the countless heroes whose contributions often go unnoticed. In celebrating these women, we acknowledge the importance of their work and the profound impact they have on shaping our communities and society as a whole.
To learn more about Joanie Sims Gould's nomination, click here.