We are Niagara Health is a series of stories that celebrates the incredible people working and volunteering in our organization and how they make a difference in the lives of patients and coworkers every day.
Stefanie Irish began her career as a frontline nurse in emergency and oncology before moving into geriatrics - where she found her calling in connecting deeply with older adults.
As Manager of Geriatrics at Niagara Health, Stefanie Irish doesn’t just oversee patient care - she champions a mindset shift. “We are conditioned to think older adults are burdens,” she says. “But in fact, they’re people with rich lives, resilience and so much wisdom. Our job isn’t just to treat their medical needs - it’s to see and support the person behind them.”
Irish’s path to geriatrics wasn’t linear. She began her nursing career on the frontlines, working in emergency and oncology. While those fast-paced environments sharpened her clinical judgment and adaptability, it was the quieter moments - sharing conversations, noticing dignity in vulnerability - that pulled her toward older adult care.
“There’s something about connecting with older adults that just clicked,” she says. “They tell you their life stories. There’s so much humanity in those exchanges.”
That deep connection has defined her leadership style. In her current role, Irish has turned those early instincts into system-wide action - helping Niagara Health become a provincial leader in age-friendly care. Whether it’s dancing in the hallway with a patient who loves country music or supporting someone through a challenging hospital stay, she makes space for dignity in every interaction.
“Sometimes you meet someone with dementia, and the second you turn on their favourite song, everything shifts,” she says. “They remember. They sing. It brings them back. That’s what meaningful care looks like.”
Despite the joy she finds in her work, Irish is candid about the ongoing challenges - especially the subtle, often normalized effects of ageism in healthcare and beyond.
She explains how misconceptions often lead to serious clinical consequences. “If an older person suddenly becomes confused, people may immediately say, ‘It’s dementia.’ But often, it’s delirium - which is preventable and reversible. These assumptions can delay or prevent proper care.”
At Niagara Health, Irish and her team are trying to change that - not just with words, but action. From embedding dementia resource consultants in Emergency Departments to launching the Geriatric Champions Network across units, the organization is investing in education, collaboration and structural change.
“There’s no unit that doesn’t touch the lives of older adults,” Irish says. “We have to make sure every door is the right door for them.”
With June marking Seniors Month, she sees it as more than a celebration - it’s an opportunity for reflection and advocacy.
“These are the people who shaped our communities, our healthcare system, our families,” she says. “Seniors Month is a time to amplify their voices and remind society that they’re not fading - they’re contributing, they’re engaged, and they’re thriving.”
From policy discussions to one-on-one patient moments, Irish’s work is rooted in empathy and action. And while she’s proud of the progress Niagara Health has made - including the upcoming seniors wellness space at the new South Niagara Hospital - she’s clear that culture change requires continued effort.
“We need to keep challenging the idea that aging equals decline,” she says. “There’s growth at every stage of life. There’s meaning, purpose, and strength - and it’s our job to protect that.”
As her team plans for the future, Irish remains guided by the same values that brought her to nursing in the first place: kindness, dignity and human connection.
“Older adults are cool,” she says with a smile. “You just have to take the time to really see them.”
