For nearly three years, Devin Andrews has led the charge to get Chatham-Kent named as an age-friendly community by the World Health Organization. In March, that came to fruition.
So what now?
Andrews, the age-friendly plan project co-ordinator, said there are 69 recommendations in the age-friendly community action plan, and an advisory committee is in place to help make it happen.
Issues include the removal of snow berms that can divide the sidewalk from the roadway, wider access to public washrooms, improved mass transit, more seniors housing in close proximity to amenities, a willingness by employers to hire older people, and faster access to health care.
“We will go to private businesses and social clubs to explain the importance of being age friendly,” Andrews said. “If we can inspire others to do the work, we can achieve a lot more than just telling them what needs to be done.”
A starting point is the Tilbury Business Improvement Area, Andrews said, as that BIA already has a 60-plus Shop With Us day each month, indicating a desire to work with seniors to better their shopping experience.
“We want to work with them as a pilot project for businesses to develop an age-friendly mindset,” he said.
By receiving the age-friendly designation, Andrews said the municipality – government and population – is committed to being just that.
“Age friendly is a mindset. Everybody needs to be involved,” he said.
Andrews said the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat summed it up best: “An age-friendly community is one where service providers, politicians, community leaders, faith leaders, business and citizens recognize the great diversity among older adults, promote inclusion and contribution in all areas of community life, respect an older person’s decisions and lifestyle choices, protect those who are most vulnerable, and anticipate and respond flexibly to aging and its related needs.”
While Andrews admits he’s heard a smattering of people questioning why the municipality would even pursue the age-friendly designation, and make the effort to improve access for seniors, he said what benefits one age group will generally benefit all ages.
“At some point, everyone is going to need these things. If we set accessibility up so the stereotypical frail elderly person can open a door or get on a bus, it’s just that easy for a pregnant woman, a 30-year-old pushing a stroller, or a teenager in a wheelchair to do just that,” he said. “A lot of this is not age specific. If you address an issue for one age group, you can address the issue for all age groups.”
Economically, it also makes sense to improve quality of life for seniors in Chatham-Kent.
“It’s the only demographic that’s growing,” Andrews said. “In many countries, people 60- or 65-plus make up 20% of the population, but have 50% of the disposable income and as much as 75% of the wealth. If you want to attract people with money, you need to figure out what they want.”
And if that is for them to continue working, then that option should be available to them, for good reason, Andrews said.
“In five years, more people will be old enough to retire than who are old enough to finish school and join the workforce,” he said. “There will be an experience gap.”
That’s a key reason Andrews would like employers to make it easier for people to work past age 65. Even if they don’t remain in the workforce full time, he suggested continuing on part time if they wish. Perhaps job sharing or mentoring, would be a smart option.
Work began to get Chatham-Kent the age-friendly designation back in July of 2013. A great deal of effort went into the project, and the community really got involved, Andrews said. In fact, the groundswell of support topped numerous larger cities.
“We had great success with our surveys and focus groups,” he said, referencing where feedback on the project originated. “We were pulling in about the same number of participants as London and Ottawa, even though we are a much smaller community.”
More C-K residents provided feedback in fact than those in Windsor and Toronto.
That feedback gave Andrews and six work groups plenty of data to sort through and upon which to build their plans.
“We tried to process all that information in about six months,” he said, adding the work groups were set up in six areas of interest – outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, civic engagement and community support and health services.
Members of the groups were a solid mix, Andrews said, of public and private sector people, along with members of social groups, all bringing varying opinions and expertise.
Hmmm.Now I see why Chatham is taking away the senior bus pass. However I cannot understand removing the bus stop in front of the low income senior building.