A Memorial University professor emeritus and an Aging Research Centre-N.L. (ARC‑NL) board member was recognized recently for his research on aging.
Dr. Leslie Cake was honoured as one of the Top 7 Over 70 in Atlantic Canada this past spring. Top 7 Over 70 is a Canada-wide awards program.
ARC-NL is a provincial research centre devoted to studies on aging located at Grenfell Campus, with a satellite office in St. John’s at the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research (NLCAHR).
Dr. Cake was an integral faculty member in Grenfell Campus’s psychology program for 27 years.
N.L. most rapidly aging province
After his retirement in 2009, Dr. Cake continued to be concerned with one gap in Canada’s research landscape: Newfoundland and Labrador — the country’s most rapidly aging province — was the only Canadian province at that time that had no dedicated centre focused on aging research.
He led a Memorial University research team funded by NLCAHR and produced a report based on visits and extensive interviews at centres for research on aging across Canada.
“[Dr. Leslie Cake] is a tireless advocate for place-based aging research and intergenerational learning.”
Titled Building an Evidence-Based Framework for an N.L. Centre on Aging, the report served as a background paper for discussion with university and government officials.
It was also a powerful argument for creating a similar research centre in Newfoundland and Labrador, a place that would help build a bridge between academic research and the community to improve the quality of life of older adults.
When the centre opened in 2018, it was stated that: “The centre will play a critical role in Newfoundland and Labrador, where a rapidly aging population is one of the highest proportions of individuals over the age of 65 in its population in all of Canada. The Aging Research Centre’s researchers and knowledge mobilizers will be positioned to inform decision-making and service provision by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and other health-related organizations.”
‘Place-based aging’
Since then, Dr. Cake has remained deeply involved in shaping the centre’s direction.
He is a member of its management board, helping to guide its research agenda and ensuring the Aging Research Centre’s work reflects the real needs of older adults across the province.
Similar Atlantic Canada centres have reached out on a number of occasions to support the Aging Research Centre’s work.
“Dr. Cake has made tremendous contributions to aging research here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Dr. Karen Doody, director of ARC-NL. “Not only did he help establish ARC-NL to focus on aging in the country’s most rapidly aging province, but he is an active research member and tireless advocate for place-based aging research and intergenerational learning.”
Dr. Cake has also continued his own scholarly work.
As a professor emeritus and Honorary Research Professor at Memorial, he has led research exploring attitudes toward older adults in rural communities.
He is also contributing to projects aimed at improving digital literacy and providing technology training for older adults.
Most recently, he, along with 2024 ARC-N.L. fellowship recipient and student member Fadeela Yussif, has been leading a research project on intergenerational learning in collaboration with Memorial University’s community hubs.
Through research, mentorship and advocacy, Dr. Cake continues to demonstrate that curiosity, leadership, and impact do not retire.
His work has helped establish a lasting research platform that will support healthier aging for generations to come.
About Top 7 Over 70
Top 7 Over 70 is a national initiative founded in Calgary in 2017 that celebrates individuals who embark on remarkable new achievements after the age of 70. The program highlights innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, artists, philanthropists and community leaders whose work demonstrates that later life can be a time of creativity, leadership and bold beginnings. The initiative is expanding across Canada, with events now being organized in multiple cities.
