Welcome to Fireside Chats Age-Friendly Communities Stories from Ontario – Part 2 of 3 June 3, :00 pm Eastern Time Advisors on Tap: Denise O'Connor, PhD, Project Lead, Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat; Sue Haggith, Community Development Coordinator, Elder Services Advisory Committee (ESAC), Services for Seniors Division Regional Municipality of Halton; Angela Van Berlo, Health Promoter, Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit Debbie Christie, Executive Director, Hamilton Council on Aging. CHNET-Works! Animateur: Dot Bonnenfant Community Health Research Unit, University of Ottawa

Aging-Well Haliburton County CHNET- Works! Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Angela Van Berlo Haliburton,Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit Haliburton County, Ontario

Introduction to Haliburton County

Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada

Working Together To Prevent Falls Among Older Adults Community Education and Awareness Exercise Programs Falls Prevention Referral Program VON SMART Program Age-Friendly Haliburton County Communities in Action Committee “Building Healthy Active Rural Communities” Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team HKPR District Health Unit Building Collaboration with Community Partners Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Working Group

Haliburton County – Approximately 4000 seniors 65+ There are at least 2000 falls in Haliburton County each year among seniors and 800 falls result in fracture. Falls are a major reason for hospitalization, loss of independence and potentially death The Central East LHIN has identified seniors, and seniors’ falls prevention as a health care planning priority for our area. What We Know…

Winter 2008 Breathe, Stretch and Have Fun Exercise Program at two seniors apartment buildings in Haliburton Village March 2008 Research brought forward the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Communities Framework Goal of creating an Age-Friendly Haliburton County Aging Well Haliburton County Timeline

May 2008 Created the Aging-Well Committee to give a voice to seniors’ concerns. Includes individuals committed to advocating for seniors in the County June 2008 Funding application became available through New Horizons for Seniors Submitted application to fund an Age-Friendly Haliburton County project. Aging Well Haliburton County Timeline

September 2008 Bench to be installed part way up Highland Street, Haliburton for seniors to rest February 2009 Received funding from New Horizons for $25,000 Link with the Communities in Action Committee to create a “Healthy, Active, Age-Friendly Community” Partnered with U-Links Centre for Community Based Research to assist in project research

Aging Well Haliburton County Timeline June 2009 Launch project - Seniors Seminar –Promotion –Survey distribution

A community where policies, services, settings and structures support and enable people to age actively by: -Recognizing their wide range of capacities, talents and gifts -Responding to their needs and preferences -Respecting their decisions and lifestyle choices -Protecting those most vulnerable -Promoting their inclusion in, and contribution to, all areas of community life Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors. (2007). Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide. p. 5. What is a Healthy, Active Age-Friendly Community?

A healthy, active community is… …a place where people of all ages and abilities can interact, participate and contribute …a great place to live and visit …a healthy place to live, work, learn and play Which leads to… …more visitors …healthier people …economic vitality …cleaner environment (Healthy, Active Communities Roundtable, 2008)

1.To assess the social and physical environment of Haliburton County based on the 8 key features from the World Health Organizations Age-Friendly Cities Framework Objectives for the project Source: WHO Guide to Age Friendly Communities

2. To identify current initiatives and opportunities that create an environment for active, positive aging. 3. To identify key priority areas in creating an age- friendly community – through focus testing, survey and community walk ability assessments. Objectives for the project

4. To increase awareness of key priority areas for seniors to maintain active, healthy and productive lives within their communities 5. To produce a practical tool to be used among decision makers and community stakeholders. It will form a framework with recommendations to guide advocacy, community development and policy changes to create a Healthy, Active Age-Friendly Haliburton County. Objectives for the project

Implementation Education/Awareness Media Presentations to 4 Municipal Councils Survey Design U-Links Centre for Community Based Research – Trent University Student to assist with survey design, methodology, data collection and analysis Quality of Life Survey – Chilliwack Social Research and Planning Council Reflective Questions – Ontario Age-Friendly Working Group Toolkit

Focus Groups and Walk-ability Assessment WHO - Vancouver Protocol to Guide the Focus Group Sessions or Inclusion Research Method to gather information Community Hubs Planning Workshop Facilitated to prioritize needs based on focus group sessions Opportunity to highlight results of survey Implementation

Advocacy Implementation, particularly around infrastructure, requires leadership from and partnership with local governments Presentations to council Using the plans to advocate for change Informing community to increase awareness and support of projects Evaluation ‘doing for’ versus ‘doing with’

Success in a Rural Community 1.Community-based groups are a key resource to enhance the capacity of municipal governments. 2.Success depends on partnership and communication among community groups and municipalities. 3.Forming partnerships with a variety of sectors adds diverse perspectives and enhances resources

Creating a Healthy, Active Age-Friendly Haliburton County HKPR District Health Unit Active Communities Charter Values and Principles Enabling and Supportive Environment Informed Society Personal, Social and System Connectedness WHO Age-Friendly Communities 8 Key Features -Outdoor Spaces and Buildings -Transportation -Housing -Respect and Social Inclusion -Social Participation -Communication and Information -Civic Participation and Employment -Community Support and Health Service HKPR District Health Unit Health for LifeHaliburton County Accessibility Committee Communities in Action Aging-Well Haliburton County Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team U-LinksMunicipalities Community Care

Angela Van Berlo Health Promoter Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit ext The only sustainable pathway to partnership is relational…

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