Gail Low, RN, BSN, MA (Gerontology), PhD (Human and Social Development)

Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing

Contact

Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing
Email
gaill@ualberta.ca
Address
5-219 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy
11405 87 Ave NW
Edmonton AB
T6G 1C9

Overview

About

Degrees

  • Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Alberta (2009-2011)
  • PhD (Nursing) University of Victoria (2006)
  • MA (Gerontology), Simon Fraser University (2000)

Currently, I serve as a reviewer for a number of international journals including Quality of Life Research and Research in Nursing & Health, and for the International Society for Quality of Life and the Canadian Association on Gerontology. I also review grants for the Canadian Lung Association and the Canadian Thoracic Society, and the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. I am on the Canadian Journal of Nursing Research editorial board.


Research

My program of research focuses on factors that enhance and take away from quality of life and psychological well-being at midlife and in older age. I also test measurement instruments and analyze large data sets pertaining to quality of life, psychological well-being, and physically and mentally adapting to aging. I have worked with a number of international students and scholars on projects related to spirituality and religion, living with chronic respiratory disease and stroke, and intimate relationships in older age. A key focus of my research work on mentally healthy living at midlife and in later life is knowledge sharing through community engagements. Mental health and social isolation are paramount issues in post-pandemic society (https://www.un.org/en/un-chronicle/pandemic-accelerant-how-covid-19-advanced-our-mental-health-priorities; https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection">https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection).

For more information, please visit: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gail_Low/contributions







Teaching

Fundamentals of Nursing

Leadership

Statistics

Research Methods


Announcements

Community Engagement Excerpts:
  1. Canadian Association on Gerontology. https://www.cag2023.ca/_files/ugd/efbed2_85381069927a4bfe99efbde1f07c1ef1.pdf
  2. CFCW Radio (November 30, 2023). Mentally Healthy Living after Social Distancing. Ag Show Feature. URL pending.
  3. Rutherford, G. (November 27, 2023). https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2023/11/researchers-serve-up-a-menu-for-mental-and-nutritional-health
  4. Alberta Gerontological Nurses Association: Mentally Healthy Living after Social Distancing. Invited Presentation. January 2024.
  5. LaMantia, A. (August 23, 2023). Mentally Healthy Living Post-COVID-19: Experiencing troubling anxiety? Add these two strategies to your mental health toolbox! Renaissance Magazine – The Retired Teachers of Ontario Magazine. https://erenaissance.rtoero.ca/mentally-healthy-living-post-covid-19
  6. The Age Collective (July 2, 2022). New Old – Stories and perspective to tackle ageism and re-define aging. https://www.theagecollective.com/stories/
  7. Low, Gail, Gloria Gutman, and Zhiwei Gao (May 31, 2022). https://rtoero.ca/webinar-mentally-healthy-living-after-social-distancing-a-study-of-older-canadians Webinar: Mentally Healthy Living after Social Distancing. Attendees: 500.
  8. Ageism. Discussion seminar. South East Edmonton Seniors Association (SEESA). October 2019. Edmonton.

  9. Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Aging in Place; Sexuality and sexual well-being. https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2




Courses

NURS 311 - Evidence Informed Nursing Practice

The course provides a hands on approach to evidence-informed nursing practice. This includes formulating clinical questions, systematic searching of electronic databases, reading, interpreting and critically appraising health research. Emphasis is on developing thinking and information literacy skills necessary to be an astute research consumer, and using evidence to inform clinical decision making. Note: Available only to nursing students in the Collaborative/Honors Program, After Degree/After Degree Honors Program or RPN-BScN Program. Prerequisite for Collaborative/Honors Program students: NURS 211 (or NURS 341). Credit may be obtained for only one of NURS 311 or 301.


NURS 425B - Nursing Leadership in a Focus Area

This leadership experience provides opportunity to consolidate prior learning and develop confidence and competence as students prepare to transition to the role of the Registered Nurse. The focus is on collaboration with interprofessional teams, systems thinking, and healthcare system change. Students evaluate the influence of evidence, policy and legislation on decision-making in complex health systems using a relational practice lens. Students demonstrate and enhance their own relational capacity as leaders and innovators for 21st Century Canadian healthcare. Fieldwork hours listed are the total number of hours and will be offered over 12 weeks. Prerequisites: All courses in the program except NURS 422, INT D 420 and NURS 485. Corequisite: NURS 422 and INT D 420.


NURS 593 - Applied Inquiry I - Framing the Inquiry Focus

Engage in structured inquiry in relation to issues from health care and/or nursing practice. Emphasis is placed on exploring key elements of such issues, identifying knowledge gaps, and shaping current understanding in pursuit of questions and methods appropriate for systematic research and inquiry.


Browse more courses taught by Gail Low

Featured Publications

Gail Low, Alex Bacadini França, Donna M Wilson, Gloria Gutman, Sofia von Humboldt

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023 November; 20 (22 (Special Issue: Health and well-being in midlife ad healthy aging)):7035 10.3390/ijerph20227035


Low, G., Wilson, D., Gutman, G., Zhiwei, G., França, A., Vitorino, L., von Humboldt, S., Allana, H., & Kolskog, M.

RTOERO Foundation Site/ERA (CC-BY-NC). 2023 August; 10.7939/r3-qtw2-5a58


von Humboldt, S., Low, G., & Leal, I

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 April; 19 (7):1-13 10.3390/ijerph19074277


Gail Low, Sofia von Humboldt, Mary Kalfoss, Isabel Leal, Donna Wilson

Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging.


Carla Bierhals, Gail Low, Lisianne Paskulin

Applied Nursing Research. 47


Donna Wilson, Begonia Errasti-Ibarrondo, Gail Low

Ageing Research Reviews. 51