Growing up with only one grandparent, Philip Ng didn’t have many chances to interact with older adults. That changed when a family friend who was a nurse encouraged him to volunteer at a long-term care facility.

Along with finding joy in building relationships with residents and hearing their stories, Ng discovered a passion for working with older adults.

He went on to study Global Health at York University and spent a decade co-ordinating clinical research projects at Toronto Western Hospital and Sunnybrook Hospital.

The experience gave him insight into the urgent need for person-centred, research-informed support for older adults, particularly as Canada’s population is aging. Statistics Canada estimates that seniors could make up approximately 21 to 23 per cent of population by 2030, up from 18.9 per cent in 2023.

Ng’s goal of transforming how older adults are supported across health-care systems led him to Brock’s Master of Applied Gerontology (MAG) program.

A key theme throughout the MAG program is “aging in place,” a concept that enables older adults to remain in their own homes while receiving the health and support services they need.

Ng completed a 300-hour MAG practicum with the Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre, where he supported the implementation of a new documentation system launching in 2026.

Master of Applied Gerontology student Philip Ng showcased his documentation implementation research at Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre during the program’s Annual Practicum Celebration celebration on Wednesday, July 30.

His goal was to help nursing staff more effectively document information used for interRAI, a comprehensive assessment that identifies the strengths, needs and preferences of patients in complex continuing care hospitals.

With mentorship from Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Luke Turcotte, he studied how other hospitals approached quality improvement and applied key methods and tools from his coursework to shape the project’s direction.

“Being able to apply knowledge translation in a real-world setting was transformative,” said Ng. “The MAG program gave me the tools to design evidence-informed programs and interventions. Older adults deserve care that reflects their diversity and lived experience.”

Janice Latam, Director of Health Data and Patient Relations at Hotel Dieu Shaver, said the results of the project “will enhance the quality of care provided to our patients and also provide staff with valuable tools to ease their work process.”

“This was my first experience of working directly with a Brock MAG student and would definitely welcome another opportunity,” she said.

Ng has also conducted a research project focused on voice assistant technology for older adults — a need he witnessed first-hand working in long-term care.

“A common question from residents was, ‘What is Zoom? My son is trying to contact me,’” he said. “It was clear there was a gap in digital literacy support for older adults.”

With guidance from Associate Professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies Alisa Grigorovich, Ng consulted with experts, identifying gaps in existing resources and developed a user-friendly educational tool for older adults.

“Voice assistant technology can feel like an entirely different language,” Ng said. “Our goal was to help older adults feel more confident and empowered using these tools.”

Ng was one of dozens of students who showcased their research practicums at the Annual Practicum Celebration hosted by MAG on Wednesday, July 30.

“MAG students develop skills in translating evidence-informed research into practice and policy, proficiency in critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they advocate for older adults and communities,” says Colleen Whyte, Associate Professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies and MAG Graduate Program Director. “Through interdisciplinary experiential learning, graduates become leaders in gerontology, influencing policy and innovating practice in meaningful ways.”