Aging Seminar: The Grandmother Collective
SPRING 2025 SEMINARS OF THE ROBERT N. BUTLER COLUMBIA AGING CENTER | Assets of Aging: A Series on the Capabilities that Accrue with Longer Lives
Join us for the Columbia Aging Center’s ONLINE seminar–the next in a series that focuses on the assets of aging and the capabilities that accrue with longer lives. Please register to attend via Zoom on April 17, 2025. Details and registration link below.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2025, 12:00PM-1:00PM ET
Grandmothers at the Helm: The Unique Leadership of Older Women in Times of Change
Lynsey Farrell, PhD
Executive Director, The Grandmother Collective
Virtual Seminar
Location: Zoom
Register to attend via Zoom at: https://columbiacuimc.zoom.us/meeting/register/NcYw_pG-QS241MSXScq0pw
Abstract: Across cultures and generations, older women have played a pivotal role in strengthening communities, guiding younger generations, and sustaining social well-being. Their lived experience, accumulated wisdom, and deep community ties position them as uniquely capable leaders—especially in times of crisis and transition. Through concrete evidence from global initiatives like the Grandmother Project and Friendship Bench, as well as broader research on resilience and intergenerational leadership, this session will highlight how older women foster stability, collective problem-solving, and long-term well-being in their communities. By challenging prevailing narratives of aging, we will demonstrate the broader societal benefits of recognizing and investing in older women’s contributions. Their leadership in education, mental health, and social development offers powerful insights into how societies can harness the strengths of older generations for lasting social impact.
