Municipal Advocacy
What is an age-friendly community?
In an age-friendly community, the policies, services and structures related to the physical and social environment are designed to help seniors “age actively.” In other words, the community is set up to help seniors live safely, enjoy good health and stay involved (Government of Canada, 2016).
- An age-friendly community:
- recognizes that seniors have a wide range of skills and abilities;
- understands and meets the age-related needs of seniors;
- respects the decisions and lifestyle choices of seniors;
- protects those seniors who are vulnerable;
- recognizes that seniors have a lot to offer their community; and
- recognizes how important it is to include seniors in all areas of community life.
What is a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC)?
A naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) is a community that naturally develops a high concentration of older residents, because seniors tend to remain or move to these communities after retirement (Masotti et al., 2006).
- An example of a NORC is Oasis, which originated in an apartment building in Kingston, Ontario.
How can you advocate for your community to become age-friendly?
- Write a letter to your Member of Parliament
- Support programs and businesses that assist and advocate for older adults
- Volunteer with organizations that assist older adults
Learn more from the following resources
- Government of Canada
- World Health Organization
References
- Government of Canada. (2016). Age-Friendly Communities. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/aging-seniors/friendly-communities.html
- Masotti, P., Fick, R., Johnson-Masotti, A., & MacLeod, S. (2006). Healthy Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities: A Low-Cost Approach to Facilitating Healthy Aging. American Journal of Public Health 96(7):1164-1170. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.068262