Journalism in Ageing Fellowship

2025 Journalism in Ageing Fellow

The NIA and Toronto Star are thrilled to announce Jatinder (Jat) Dhillon as the Journalism in Ageing Fellow. Jat’s two decades of journalism include roles as producer/reporter in broadcast news and features in the UK, Europe and Canada for TV, radio, online and social media. She have been an Associate Producer at CBC radio's The Current in Toronto for two years. Jat also had stints with BBC Singapore and other media outlets in Brussels, Berlin and the European Parliament. She have been a leading project producer for live events broadcasts in the UK such as major Royal events and London 2012 Olympics. Jat’s main interests are in social and welfare reforms and policies.

Jatinder will work closely with established Toronto Star journalists to create meaningful journalism on ageing that will be featured in the Toronto Star, under its overarching journalism project entitled the “Third Act” www.thestar.com/aging. 

According to the 2018 Oxford Journal of Gerontology, Canada ranks amongst the top countries with the highest percentage of kin-lessness in the world - a unique cohort of the population of unpartnered and, moreover, childless older adults. Other countries include Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Why? It's a significant trend as people live longer and societal structures change. Ageing solo with no direct descendants can present unique challenges in terms of support systems, healthcare, and social connections. However, it also offers opportunities to make financial and healthcare arrangements, and explore independence outside of traditional family structures. 

Journalist and film-maker, Jatinder Dhillon, explored the lives of three Torontonians about what it's like growing old alone and gets key insight from experts. How does their circumstance affect their well-being and quality of life? What are the challenges and opportunities? And what are the implications for social support systems, caregiving, and policy planning? Do health and social service providers meet their needs? Jatinder discovers they have strong views on the elderly gay community facing unique challenges. And the healthcare system needs to be better prepared to address them.