Charles Furlotte

Charles Furlotte is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at St. Thomas University, where he has taught since 2019. Originally from Bathurst, New Brunswick, he is a registered social worker (RSW) in both Ontario (since 2009) and New Brunswick (since 2018), with over a decade of clinical experience in healthcare settings. He is currently completing his PhD in Social Work at McMaster University while maintaining his academic position.

Dr. Furlotte earned his Bachelor of Arts (Honours Psychology and English Literature) from Mount Allison University in 2006 and his Master of Social Work from Carleton University in 2009. Prior to joining St. Thomas University, he taught at Carleton's School of Social Work and McMaster University's Department of Health, Aging and Society, and served as a Social Worker with a focus on mental health and psychotherapy. He also held an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) position at McMaster's Department of Family Medicine.

His research focuses on critical approaches to the social study of aging, particularly examining the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people aging with HIV and other complex chronic health conditions. His work explores aging-related services for older LGBT individuals, mindfulness applications in social justice approaches to social work practice, and resilience strategies among long-term HIV survivors. His research employs qualitative methodologies, often using community-based participatory approaches.

An analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent themes across gerontology, HIV research, and social work practice, with particular emphasis on successful aging frameworks from the perspective of HIV-positive older adults. His research demonstrates strong methodological rigor using qualitative approaches, particularly modified grounded theory and narrative analysis, to explore the lived experiences of vulnerable aging populations.

Professor Furlotte has taught across multiple levels of social work education, including Post-degree BSW courses (Theory for Social Work Practice II, Generalist Social Work Practice Skills, Field Instruction), 4-Year BSW courses (Social Work Practice and Human Development, Field Instruction I), and MSW courses (Social Work in Health Care, Research and Evaluation, Advanced Placement). His teaching integrates his clinical expertise with his research interests in aging, HIV, and mindfulness-based interventions.

His professional activities extend to community engagement, having presented at numerous forums including The AIDS Network, Hamilton; The AIDS Committee of Toronto; and various academic conferences on HIV and aging. He has contributed to environmental scans of HIV and aging services in Canada and participated in national initiatives addressing the needs of older adults living with HIV.