Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE Raising awareness and encouraging action

Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Presentation Agenda Building Awareness: Changing Demographics and Aging Population WHO Age-Friendly Initiative, The Facts, Effective Strategy, Benefits Encouraging Action: Niagara Age- Friendly Community Initiative The Project, Actions, Vision Committee, Resource Team, Framework, Community Consultations, Welland Pilot, Partners NOTL Age-Friendly Initiative

WHO Age-Friendly Initiative Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 WHO Age-Friendly Initiative Niagara has joined a global effort, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), to become an age-friendly community. An age-friendly community is one that enables all citizens, indeed all populations to live in security, maintain their health and participate fully in society.

The Facts Behind the Initiative Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 11/10/2018 The Facts Behind the Initiative The number of older persons (60+) world wide will double from 600 million to 1.2 billion by 2025 (United Nations) The number of older adults in Canada 65+ has increased from 13.7% of the population in 2006 to14.8% in 2011 and it will continue to grow until 2031 Soon there will be more seniors than youth under 15 Soon there will be more people leaving the workforce than entering it Soon there will be more deaths than births

Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009 - 2013 Contributing Factors Strong increase in the number of births in the 20 years following World War II (1946- 1965). Today 3 out of 10 Canadians are baby boomers or 29% (Stats Can Census, 2011) The baby boomers started becoming 65 in 2011(Stats Can Census, 2011) People are living longer due to the significant achievements in public health and improved standard of living (WHO, 2007) The number of centurions is increasing (Stats Can Census, 2011)

Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Effective Strategy Making a community age- friendly is deemed one of the most effective policy approaches in planning for the increase of our aging population. Over 500 communities in Canada are engaged in age-friendly initiatives… The City of Welland is the first in Niagara to be recognized by the WHO.

Benefits to Getting Involved Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Benefits to Getting Involved Age-Friendly Benefits older adults Providing the security they need, a community that maintains their health and supports their participation fully in the community.

Benefits to Getting Involved Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Benefits to Getting Involved Age-Friendly Benefits Businesses If older adults make up a large proportion of the consumer market spending $25 million a year and older adults are loyal customers and outspend younger shoppers then meeting the needs of older adult consumers makes good sense and increases the bottom line.

Benefits to Getting Involved Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Benefits to Getting Involved Age-Friendly Benefits Voluntary Organizations If client relationships are important then organizational policy, practice and behaviours that meet older adults needs are important If funding is important to voluntary organizations then age- friendly is a means to leverage funds, e.g., OTF

Benefits to Getting Involved Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Benefits to Getting Involved Age-Friendly Benefits All Ages If the city builds bicycle lanes for older adults, all cyclists benefit If citizens shovel snow from the sidewalk for improved mobility for seniors, a parent walking their child to school benefits If the aim of transit is to give independence for seniors, youth benefit

Niagara Age-Friendly Initiative Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Niagara Age-Friendly Initiative Citizens aware of the issue of a growing population of older adults came together in 2009. They wanted to build an awareness of this issue and encourage action that respects and values the needs and interests of all populations, with a particular focus on older adults

Project Partners Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 FOUNDATION Project Partners

Niagara Age-Friendly Strategic Plan Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009 - 2013 Niagara Age-Friendly Strategic Plan Vision: A Caring Community for All Ages Niagara is a caring community that optimizes opportunities for an enhanced quality of life as people age. Mission: Age-Friendly Niagara Project Raise awareness of age-friendly principles across all sectors of the community and encourage action that takes into consideration the needs of all citizens, with a particular focus on older adults.

Age-Friendly Resource Team Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009 - 2013 Age-Friendly Resource Team The NAFCI provides a Community Coordinator, the Niagara Research and Planning Council as evaluators and volunteers AT NO COST to assist each community raise the bar on age- friendliness. Services include: Consulting with community organizations and committees Facilitating community consultations Assisting communities in developing an action plan Working together to promote age- friendly Providing a personal connection Supporting the application to join the WHO age-friendly movement

Age-Friendly Framework & Principles Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009 - 2013 Age-Friendly Framework & Principles The framework for the Niagara project is shaped by the age- friendly principles developed by three leading age-friendly initiatives: World Health Organization Public Health Agency of Canada The Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program at Waterloo University

Community Consultations Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Community Consultations Agencies across Niagara have hosted a series of roundtable community conversations for older adults applying the principle framework The results will be used to develop localized Niagara-on-the-Lake Age-Friendly action plan

The Pilot: Year-1 Report Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009 - 2013 The Pilot: Year-1 Report Principle Actions Seniors Advisory Committee Age-Friendly Local Action (Ad Hoc) Committee is acting on priority actions identified from the needs assessment The World Health Organization has recognized Welland for their efforts Community Report provides an overview of themes that emerged from the needs assessment Full Report: http://www.nrapc.com/publications-resources/

Community Partners Business: Volunteer Agencies Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Community Partners Business: Lookout Ridge Pelham hosted a roundtable conversation Niagara This Week publishes a weekly age- friendly column written by volunteer contributors Volunteer Agencies Bridges Community Health Centre Fort Erie hosted a roundtable conversation CNIB contributed to the development of an Age- Friendly Assessment Tool Niagara50Plus is a website developed by boomers for boomers. The principals are working with the Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative to enhance opportunities for older adults’ civic participation: linking experience to opportunity Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) funded the initiative and maintains a website on aging and the Not-for-Profit Sector

Community Partners Public Sector Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Community Partners Public Sector Niagara Region Accessibility Advisory Committee contributed to the development of the Age- Friendly Assessment Tool (available under separate cover) Niagara Regional Housing hosted a series of roundtable conversations

NOTL Age-Friendly Fact: Niagara-on-the Lake population is ageing! Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 11/10/2018 NOTL Age-Friendly Fact: Niagara-on-the Lake population is ageing! 2006 to 2011: 15.2% increase in number of seniors 2011: 25.9% of the population is seniors Why is this important? The ageing population is creating challenges for older adults and their community, e.g., available and affordable housing, employment, health care, transportation, etc. Association Municipalities of Ontario (2011) Niagara-on-the-Lake Age-Friendly makes good sense

Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 NOTL Age-Friendly Age-Friendly is not an additional project for staff or council Age-Friendly shares the same principles as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the official plan, and other municipal endeavours Being Age-Friendly enhances the community work already being done Being Age-Friendly optimizes opportunities for an enhanced quality of life as people age

Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009-2013 Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative Requests: THAT the Council of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake receives for information the presentation by Virginia Stewart, Community Coordinator and Dominic Ventresca, Co-Chair Management Committee on behalf of the Niagara Age-Friendly Initiative and as a follow-up to Report COM 11-2011 distributed to the Town of Niagara- on-the-Lake March 3, 2011; and, further That the Council receive the Year-1 Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative Report; and, further THAT the Town of Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake affirm its commitment to age-friendly principles; and, further THAT the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake staff be encouraged to engage in age-friendly events to learn more about age-friendly and contribute to the process; and, further THAT the information regarding age-friendly be forwarded to the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee and other Committees that consider the interest of older adults.

Niagara Age-Friendly Community Virginia Stewart, BRLS ADED MA Niagara Age-Friendly Community Initiative 2009 - 2013 Contact Information Niagara Age-Friendly Community A Community for All Ages Virginia Stewart, BRLS ADED MA Community Coordinator 2201 St. David’s Rd. Thorold, ON L2V 4T7 905-685-1571 x 3869 agefriendly@niagararegion.ca