AGE FRIENDLY OTTAWA
& THE OLDER ADULT PLAN
On the road to an age-friendly Ottawa
May 23, 2012
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1. What is an age-friendly City ?
2. About Age Friendly Ottawa and the
Municipal Older Adult Plan
3. Results from the public consultations
4. Results according to target groups
5. Next steps on the road to an age-friendly
city
May 23, 2012
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WHAT IS AN AGEFRIENDLY CITY?
“...an inclusive
and accessible
urban
environment
that promotes
active and
healthy
ageing.”-WHO
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May 23,
2012
In an age-friendly city:
 Policies, services, settings and
structures support and enable people to
age actively by:
 Recognizing the wide range of capacities
and resources among older people
 Anticipating and responding flexibly to
aging-related needs and preferences
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In an age-friendly city:
 Respecting their decisions and lifestyle
choices
 Protecting those who are most vulnerable
 Promoting the inclusion of older adults in,
and valuing their contribution to all areas of
community life
Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors
(2007). Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide
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Linking Together to Form a Whole
AGE FRIENDLY
OTTAWA PLAN
Community-wide
focus
Engage the
diversity of
seniors
CITY OF OTTAWA
OLDER ADULT PLAN
Focuses on City
infrastructure and
services
Part of
community-wide
plan
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Municipal Older Adult Plan
•
A priority of City Council
•
Purpose is to make changes so that municipal services
and infrastructure are responsive to the specific needs of
older adults in Ottawa today and into the future
•
Will focus on areas that are under municipal responsibility
•
Three main phases: Background research, consultation
with older adults and an action plan
•
Will be presented to Committee and Council for approval
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Older Adult Plan Project Phases
1. Background
Research
•Completed in early
2011
•Demographic and
socio-economic
profile (and
population
projections)
•Inventory of City
programs and services
•Consultations with
front-line staff
2. Consultation
with
Older Adults
•Oct and Nov 2011
•Over 600 older
adults
•Mayor’s Seniors
Summit,
community sessions
& focus groups,
survey
•Partnered with Age
Friendly Ottawa
3. Development of
Older Adult Plan
•Jan to Sept 2012
•Strategy and action
plan
•Based on all
research and
consultation
findings
The Age Friendly Ottawa Initiative
 In partnership with the Centre on Governance
of the University of Ottawa, the City of Ottawa
and many community partners, the Council on
Aging of Ottawa leads the Age Friendly Steering
Committee since 2009.
Our mission is to enhance and improve the age-
friendliness of Ottawa for all seniors, in
collaboration with government, business, the
voluntary sector and other partners using the
processes of community engagement and action.
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Working towards the same goal
 We share a common vision
of Ottawa as an agefriendly and caring
community
 We share a common
framework focused on
improvements in 8 WHO
areas
 We presented a successful
joint application to join the
WHO Network of Age
Friendly Cities
May 23, 2012
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May 23, 2012
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Methodology
 Mayor’ Senior Summit: October 3, 2011–
launch of Older Adult Plan and community
consultations with older adults
 Joint Consultations: Age-Friendly Ottawa
and City of Ottawa – October-November 2011
 Over 600 participants engaged in city-led
community consultations, AFO targeted focus
groups and a consultation survey
 Final report of findings and analysis
May 23, 2012
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Older Adults Told Us:
 What it’s like to live
in Ottawa
 About good
experiences and bad
experiences
 About ideas for
improving the lives
of seniors in the 8
age-friendly areas
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Current age-friendly aspects:
 City of Ottawa: manageable size & sense of
community
 Green spaces: city parks, bike lanes.....
 Free bus transportation on certain days
 Wealth of services and activities: seniors centres,
museums, public libraries, community centres, the
arts....
 Safe city in the daytime
 Efficient emergency services
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1.Outdoor Spaces and buildings
 Improve city-wide access to buildings and
public spaces – restaurants, private offices
 Fix roads and sidewalks – cracks, grading,
curbs..
 Add more ramps, rails & automatic doors
...doors too heavy
 Remove snow and ice - bus stops, roads
and sidewalks…
 Add outdoor benches & washrooms –
on main roads, parks, bus stops
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2. Transportation
Make sure stops are close to destinations
 Improve safety on-board buses
 Add flexibility to Para-transpo scheduling
 Add adapted parking spots for seniors
 Reduce cost and complicated payment
process for parking– especially at hospitals
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3. Housing
 Design accessible adapted housing for seniors
 Improve supply of affordable housing
 Improve knowledge about and access to resources
to age at home
 Offer support during life-long transitions
 Shorten wait-lists for social housing and
long-term care
 Standardize quality of care in supportive housing
and private seniors residences
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4. Social Participation
Support community groups to provide
own culturally appropriate programs
 Remove financial barriers to access
social activities– including cost for
renting facilities
 Provide safe & affordable spaces for
seniors’ gatherings
 Improve access to information about
programs and activities

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5. Respect and Social Inclusion
Celebrate the contributions of older adults and
fight ageism
 Provide more opportunities for
intergenerational activities such as
mentoring youth
 Pay particular attention to the unique
needs of older adults, according to: ability,
health, culture, income, language, gender,
sexual orientation …
 Provide sensitivity training for those who
provide direct services to older adults

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6. Civic Participation Paid/Unpaid work
 Provide incentives to volunteers
 Provide more opportunities for paid/unpaid
work to older adults
 Improve communication about opportunities
for paid and unpaid work
 Simplify police checks and application
process
 Better recognize contributions of volunteers
May 23, 2012
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7. Communication and Information
 Slow down the move towards paperless and
internet-based information and automated phone
systems
 Maintain the traditional methods - mail, radio,
paper, posters, TV...
 Improve awareness on how to get information
when needed
 Make better use of informal networks with close
links to seniors
 Provide information in different languages
May 23, 2012
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8. Community Support and Health Services
 Make it easier to find the correct information
at the appropriate time
 Reduce the long waiting lists for services
 Improve transitions between levels of care
 Improve supports for aging at home
 Add more volunteer drivers and
door-to door escorts to get to medical
appointments
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May 23, 2012
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List of target groups
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Rural
Aboriginal
Francophone
Multicultural
Low – income
With disabilities
Isolated (phone
interviews and home
visits)
May 23, 2012
8. Natural Caregivers
9. Senior Pride Network
10. Seniors over 75
11. Business community
12. Service Providers
13. Age Friendly Ottawa
Reference Group
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Some seniors are more vulnerable to
exclusion and isolation
 Low income seniors face financial exclusion from
services, events, and information (internet, tv) – links
between poor health and poverty are well established
 Older seniors and seniors with disabilities are more
affected by the lack of general accessibility (building,
roads, sidewalks, housing) and lack of availability of
public transportation
 Multicultural and Aboriginal older adults face
discrimination and exclusion from mainstream society
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More Examples…
 Francophone seniors seek city-wide access to
services in French & fiscal equity for centres who
provide services in French
 Gay and lesbian older adults advocate for policy
changes so same-sex couples can be welcomed in
retirement housing and long-term care
 Natural caregivers are concerned about finding and
accessing needed support services
 Rural seniors also want to age at home! They need
better access to home services and transportation
May 23, 2012
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Older Adult Plan Next Steps
• Finalize a draft action plan
• Review this plan with community stakeholders
during the month of June
• Integrate feed-back
• Present Older Adult Plan to Council for approval
in September 2012
• Implement actions beginning in fall 2012
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Next Steps for AFO
 Consult with older adults to validate findings and
set priorities for community action
 Community forums on June 5
 Target group visits
 Develop an AFO action plan that aligns with city’s
OAP and engages seniors in areas that are
community driven
 Chose one or two community projects that will
make a difference
 Monitor progress & continue to build momentum
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Together, we can do it!
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