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¶¡Ïã³ÉÈËÉçÇø alumni are helping older adults across New Brunswick age with dignity and connection through the Nursing Home Without Walls program.

 

The initiative helps older adults access health and social services, navigate complex systems, and connect with resources that support aging at home.

 

For Ashley Erb, BA’21, the work is a combination of advocacy, leadership, and meaningful connection.

 

“I am beyond grateful that I get the opportunity to dedicate every day to supporting and advocating for older adults and their families,” said Erb, who is a Seniors Navigator at Shannex Neill Hall.

 

In her role, Erb helps older adults and families navigate complex systems and access community resources. She is also working with Healthcare Excellence Canada as the NHWW program expands nationally.

 

As a STUdent, Erb worked with Dr. Michelle Lafrance, Dr. Janet Durkee-Lloyd, and a team of researchers to create the Aging in New Brunswick Guide—a resource that helps older adults and caregivers navigate social and healthcare systems in the province.

 

“This experience and the opportunities and guidance I received during this time led me to where I’m at today.”

 

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“Aging, in many ways, is a gift” — Candace Purcell, York Care Centre

 

For Candace Purcell, BA’19, supporting older adults is a way to honour her grandmother, who helped raise her.

 

“I strive to give the seniors I meet the same compassion, dignity, and attention that she deserved. In many ways, this role allows me to carry her memory forward in meaningful, everyday moments,” she said.

 

Purcell is Manager of the NHWW program at York Care Centre, where she leads a team delivering cost-free services designed to promote aging in place and reduce premature admissions into long-term care. 

 

She said STU played a significant role in preparing her for this work.

 

“One course in particular—Narrative Gerontology with Dr. Bill Randall—had a lasting impact on my approach. It deepened my understanding of how individuals make sense of their lives by shaping their experiences, memories, and identity into meaningful stories.”

 

“Rather than seeing aging as something defined by decline, I came to understand it as a meaningful and evolving stage of life. Aging, in many ways, is a gift.”

 

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“Many small acts lead to great change” - Emmett Legare, York Care Centre

 

Emmett Legare, BA’25, always knew he wanted to pursue a helping profession, but it was while studying Gerontology at STU that he discovered his passion.

 

“As I continued to learn about aging and the unique challenges faced by older adults, a fire was lit inside me, fueled by the real stories of older adults and the passion of my professors and peers,” he said.

 

“¶¡Ïã³ÉÈËÉçÇø is very fortunate to have such passionate, knowledgeable, and motivating faculty—they played a key role in shaping the person I am proud to be today.”

 

Now working as a Wellness Coordinator with York Care Centre, Legare supports clients through community outreach, wellness programming, food bank deliveries, and resource navigation.

 

“Through this program, I’m able to support people with acts that may seem small but mean the world to them and help them stay at home longer. I believe these acts contribute to the goodness of the world, and it is often many small acts that lead to great change.”