When acclaimed photographer Thelma Pepper returned recently to her hometown of Kingston for a meet and greet hosted by the Kingston Historical Society, she brought not only her memories and a collection of her father’s photographs taken in the early 1900s, she also carried the message that age is no barrier to activity, creativity or industry.

Born into the prominent Stevens clan of Kingston, Mrs. Pepper lived in the Western Kings area for many years, was educated at Acadia and McGill universities and moved eventually with her husband Jim to Saskatchewan. There the couple raised four children and led what she referred to as a “busy and happy life.�

Like most women of her generation, Mrs. Pepper devoted herself to her family, but unlike some of her peers, she was thrilled with the prospect of freedom that beckoned when the last of her children left home. Drawing upon her love of reading to her children, Mrs. Pepper began volunteering at a local seniors’ residence.

One thing led to another and before she knew it she was taking pictures of residents and the rest, as they say, is history. She had her first solo photography exhibition in 1986 and her latest show, “Abundant Life: The Journey Home� is on display at the Acadia Art Gallery until the end of October.

Now in her eighties, Mrs. Pepper’s energy and appreciation for life recently translated into the publication of a book of her photographs taken at the Sherbrooke Community Centre, the long-term care facility that her husband called home in the last few years of his life. While he was in residence there, she became acquainted with an elder-centered philosophy, the “Ten Principles of The Eden Alternative, � one of which reads: “Meaningless activity corrodes the human spirit. The opportunity to do things we find meaningful is essential to human health.�

Mrs. Pepper’s retirement-era experience and success supports the concept that all people, regardless of age, have something of value to offer. Since the early and mid-1900s the average Canadian lifespan has increased and many people now have many years after retirement to be active and productive members of society.

While many seniors choose to turn their attention to hobbies, travel or volunteer work after retirement, factors such as changing demographics, economics and improved health practices compel many older Canadians , for one reason or another, to stay in the workforce.

While many of the barriers to employment have been removed - among those gender, race, and colour - age remains an impediment for some who seek to work beyond the traditional marker of 65. Many organizations are now struggling to draft policies that reflect the new reality in which seniors are recognized and respected for their knowledge and experience rather than dismissed because they have reached a traditional, and perhaps no-longer-relevant, age of retirement.

Coincidentally, Mrs. Pepper’s native and adopted provinces of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan share the oldest average populations in Canada. With this in mind, governments in these jurisdictions need to assume a leadership role in providing compassionate care for the elderly while ensuring seniors of all ages and abilities are afforded valid opportunities to contribute to their communities.

A pioneer in her own right, Thelma Pepper’s personal and artistic journey into aging serves both as an inspiration and a reminder of the potential that lives within each of us, regardless of age.