News & Events

2025 GNABC Annual Conference & AGM

Topic: To Be Announced

Date and TIme: TBD

Location: Virtual

More Details to be posted soon under the 2025 conference tab!

Check out the Canadian Association on Gerontology’s 2025 conference! May 29-31, 2025 in Winnipeg

Link: CGNA 2025 Conference

May 2024

GNABC Education Award Recipient: Victoria Pickles

Victoria began her work as a nurse a front line acute care nurse, in critical care and nephrology. A move to Vancouver Island precipitated a move to long-term care and to gerontological nursing. While Victoria knew very little about this specialty prior to moving to LTC, she quickly began to see what a challenging and rewarding place it was to work as a nurse. Dementia care and care of the fail older adult became a love. Over the past 6 years as a gero-nurse, Victoria has completed her Master in Nursing at UVIC, become a survey with Accreditation Canada and most recently became the president-elect of the GNABC. Victoria works as the Clinical Nurse Specialist for Long-Term Care for Island Health and is one year into the Doctor of Nursing degree at the University of Calgary. As a passionate and invested leader in LTC and gero-nursing, Victoria is grateful to be the recipient of the award.

Please apply for this education award as Gerontological Nurses Association of British Columbia are looking forward to helping you achieve your educational and career goals.

Learn more about the GNABC Education Award GNABC encourages all its members to apply on a yearly basis.

Victoria Pickles, 2024 GNABC Education Award Recipient

April 20, 2023

First honorary lifetime GNABC Member

Lilian MacTaggart (nickname “Li” pronounced “Lee”) received an honorary life membership award from the Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association (CGNA) at the 2023 CGNA conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and from the Gerontological Nurses Association of British Columbia (GNABC) at their 2023 GNABC Educational Conference and AGM.

Li is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, and a Master of Health Services Administration degree from the University of Alberta. She was a certified member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders for many years and received a lifelong membership from the college in 2017 for her committed support to the college and as a health leader. She was CNA (Canadian Nurses Association) certified in gerontological nursing. Li brought an extensive background in long term care, acute care and health care management. Previous positions include Senior Administrator in Long Term Care and Residential Services, Director of Care in long term care, Manager of Intensive Care Unit, Director/Manager of Health Services, Coordinator Transition Services Team (acute care to community) and Clinical and Systems Transformation (CST) peer mentor.

Li served GNABC and CGNA for more than 15 years and 5 years respectively. She held positions at the local chapter as President – elect of the Simon Fraser GNABC chapter (2007- 2009), President of the Simon Fraser GNABC Chapter for two and a half terms (five years), became the GNABC Provincial Treasurer (2011 – 2013) , Chair of the 2013 CGNA Biennial Conference Finance Committee, CGNA treasurer – elect in 2013, CGNA treasurer (2014 – 2016), GNABC President – elect (2016 – 2018), GNABC President (2018 – 2020), CGNA Board of Director (2018 – 2020) and finally GNABC Past president (2020 - 2022). Her work accomplishments as GNABC president and CGNA Board of Director have been documented in her GNABC President’s Annual Reports 2018 – 2020 and CGNA Board of Director Annual Report 2019 – 2020.

Some of her thoughts on gerontological nursing: Kudos to nurses whose passion is gerontological nursing and care for older adults and the elderly, and whose research work and education have changed the lens on how older adults/elderly can be cared for and their needs managed. The results have been fascinating and exciting for improved care utilizing collaborative practices and appropriate resources. How amazing it is to discover or conceive resources in communities and facilities to help and support older adults/elderly as we come to understand more of their needs. How helpful it is to improve one’s quality of life minimizing their pain, symptoms, anxiety and fear.

Li’s hope is for this generation to continue to unveil infrastructures, processes and systems that would address an excellent seamless collaborative delivery system for the care of older adults and the elderly for the generations to come.