Eddy Elmer is a gerontology researcher and consultant in aging and mental health, focusing on social isolation and loneliness in marginalized groups, including sexual and gender minority older adults. He is also interested in public safety, community-police relations, and correctional services, particularly for aging prisoners and parolees. Eddy holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and general studies, and a master’s degree in gerontology, from Simon Fraser University. He is finishing his PhD in sociology and social gerontology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, studying minority stress and loneliness among 2SLGBTQ+ people across the life course.
Eddy is strongly committed to public service and community engagement. From 2012-18, he served three terms as Secretary of the City of Vancouver Seniors Advisory Committee. Since 2019, he has served three terms on the 2SLGBTQ+ Advisory Committee, most recently as Co-chair. He has worked with the Vancouver Police Department to form the Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Liaison Committee, which he currently co-chairs with Sergeant Chad McRae. Since 2018, Eddy has also been Vice-chair of the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) for Metro Vancouver West Community Corrections, a division of Correctional Service Canada (CSC). In 2023, he was elected CAC Pacific Regional Chair, and is now also Vice-chair of the National Executive Committee. For his commitment to engaging stakeholders, raising the profile of CACs, and promoting education about corrections through global webinars and other channels, Eddy received the 2022 James A. Murphy Award for Excellence.
For Eddy’s report on social isolation and loneliness in Vancouver, see here. For his research on minority stress and loneliness, see his paper in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, his presentation for the Living with Pride Foundation, and his interview with the Campaign to End Loneliness. For his thoughts on loneliness interventions, see his articles in Zoomer Magazine and The Province. For the Globe and Mail article about his experience with ‘privately-owned public spaces,’ see here. For thoughts on aging offenders and early release from prison during COVID-19, see his editorials in The Lawyer’s Daily, The Hamilton Spectator, and The St. John’s Telegram. For concerns about safety and hate crimes in Vancouver, see here and listen to his interviews on CBC Early Edition and The Lynda Steele Show [update].
Eddy is available for consulting, interviews, and speaking engagements on aging, loneliness, sexuality, and corrections.
