AGE FRIENDLY PROJECTS
HKPR DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT
Board of Health Presentation
April 17, 2014
Angela Andrews
and Doreen Boville
AGE-FRIENDLY DEFINED…
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Concept developed by the World Health Organization
An age-friendly community encourages active aging
by optimizing opportunities for health, participation
and safety
Enhances quality of life as people age; benefits all
ages
Theme Areas:
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Outdoor Spaces and Public Buildings
Transportation
Housing
Communication and Information
Civic Participation and Employment
Community Support and Health Services
Respect and Social Inclusion
Social Participation
HOW IT ALL BEGAN…
New Horizons for Seniors grants were obtained
in Haliburton and City of Kawartha Lakes
 Community assessments were completed
 In Northumberland County, an Aging Well
Committee was established as an offshoot of the
Northumberland Falls Prevention Coalition
 Age Friendly initiatives focus more broadly on
seniors health but policies and supportive
environments resulting from AF work support
falls prevention
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AGE-FRIENDLY AND THE ONTARIO PUBLIC
HEALTH STANDARDS
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Accountability Agreement – Fall‐related emergency visits in older
adults aged 65+ (rate per 100,000)
Ontario Public Health Units are required to address the prevention of
injuries, including a requirement to “...influence the development
and implementation of healthy policies and programs and the
creation or enhancement of safe and supportive environments
that address falls across the lifespan.”
The most effective policies that influence the prevention of falls
among seniors as indicated by the Prevention of Injury Guidance
Document reflects the work being done to create healthy, active agefriendly communities as well as reviewing the social determinants of
health.
AF work is one project that helps us achieve the falls prevention
outcome indicator. Look at falls as not one piece but many pieces from
a seniors health and aging perspective.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
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Haliburton County
Aging Well Committee
 Haliburton County Falls Prevention Network
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City of Kawartha Lakes
Age Friendly Steering Committee
 Fenelon Falls Age Friendly Committee
 Omemee Age Friendly Committee
 Age Friendly presentations in partnership with CKL
Library Services in Bethany
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Northumberland County
Age Well Network of Trent Hills
 Northumberland Falls Prevention Coalition
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HALIBURTON COUNTY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE
Outdoor Spaces and Public Buildings
 Bench installments
 Automatic door opener for LifeLabs at the
Haliburton Family Medical Centre
 Arm chairs in community centers
 More use of handrails by local businesses
 Input into streetscape planning and official
plans
 Support for the Haliburton County Pool
Committee
ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED…
Housing:
 Housing information sessions, forums and
research to create a county housing strategy
Transportation:
 Awareness of the developing transportation
strategies for the county
Communications:
 Creating a more positive image of seniors, and
raising older adults’ issues in radio, newspapers
and other media
CITY OF KAWARTHA LAKES
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE
Outdoor Spaces and Public Buildings
 Bench installments
 Support for winter snow removal on sidewalks
 Spearheaded or participated in walkability
assessments and followup to address identified
hazards
 Work closely with the CKL Accessibility Coordinator
to mutually support each other’s initiatives
 One result of this collaboration was additional
disabled parking spaces in Fenelon Falls
Housing:
 Supported Housing forum coordinated by
Accessibility Coordinator and other CKL staff
ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED…
Transportation:
 Hosted an information session to promote the rural
transit service
Communications:
 Have raised the profile of the Age Friendly project
and of older adults’ issues through various media and
presentations to community groups
 Have begun compiling an inventory of senior related
activities throughout CKL
 Were successful in having a “senior-friendly” icon
included in the Parks and Rec Leisure Guide
 Have excellent working relationships with CKL
Councillors in Fenelon Falls and Omemee
 Poster series developed
ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED…
Community Support and Health Services
 Hosted a Healthcare Community Consultation
Forum
 Have connections to the Family Health Teams,
Omemee Medical Centre Board and Kawartha
Lakes Health Care Initiative
 AF members were part of delegation that met
with Ministry of Health representatives to
advocate for improved local lab services
 Seniors difficulty with using self-serve gas
stations raised by AF; cause championed by
Kawartha Lakes Accessibility Advisory
Committee and endorsed by CKL Council
ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED…
Respect and Social Inclusion/Social
Participation
 Participate annually in Seniors Fair hosted by
MP and MPP
 Promote low cost social activities of other groups
Other
 Strong relationships with other community
partners
 Participate in review of official, secondary and
sustainability plans
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE
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Shared information on seniors’ health
Shared opportunities for professional development
related to seniors’ health including inviting 6
speakers to provide “Lunch and Learn” sessions in
2012/13
Promotion of seniors’ physical activity options (via
“Rx for a healthier you” tearoff notepads)
Hosted the “Seniors Exercise in Northumberland”
Think Tank with an emphasis on improving access
and identifying gaps in opportunities
Think Tank led to the Heartwise Exercise Program
being offered at the Cobourg Community Centre
CURRENT PROJECTS
HALIBURTON COUNTY
StopGap
Access for All one ramp at a time
COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY
AODA Accessibility Standard for the Design
of Public Spaces include:
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Recreational trails/beach access routes
Outdoor public eating areas like rest stops or
picnic areas
Outdoor play spaces, like playgrounds in
provincial parks and local communities
Outdoor paths of travel, like sidewalks,
ramps, stairs, curb ramps, rest areas and
accessible pedestrian signals
Accessible parking (on and off street)
HOW THE RAMP PROJECT WORKS
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Materials from local building supply stores
Students from HHSS will build the ramps and will
work with seniors from the committee
Businesses with single stepped storefronts in Dysart
et al. have expressed interest in participating to have
a custom ramp made at no cost
Brightly coloured ramps
that are light weight and
have handles are built to
improve access and get
people talking about this
design issue
CURRENT PROJECTS
CITY OF KAWARTHA LAKES
Fenelon Falls
 Be a Good Neighbour Program
 Strengthening Partnership with Seniors Club
 Meet and Greet June 2014
Omemee
 Communications/Newsletter Committee
All CKL
 Promotion of Seniors Month in June
CURRENT PROJECTS
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY
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Continue to network and move seniors health
issues forward
IN CLOSING…
Contributors to our success include:
 Engaged community partners
 Supportive municipal councils and staff
 Passionate seniors in our communities that have
the interest, energy and connections to move
ideas forward
 Changing political and societal expectations and
support that place a growing emphasis on the
senior population which is quickly becoming the
largest demographic group
All of this makes HKPR’s Age Friendly projects
busy, dynamic and effective initiatives in our
communities
THANK YOU!