Case Study - Planning a Senior Friendly Community
An age-friendly city encourages active aging by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Aging and Social Context
Declining birth rates and increased life expectancy are transforming the demographics of Canadian society. The traditional pyramid shape of society (in which the young outnumber the old) is rapidly giving way to a more vertical, ‘bean pole’ shape. As communities age, society’s discourse about aging is slowly evolving. During the last decades of the 20th century, this discourse often revolved around the costs and burdens of an aging society. Today, more emphasis is placed on seniors’ contributions to society and the importance of supports needed to enhance the quality of their lives and their community participation. With a view to promoting healthy aging while at the same time mitigating the costs and social consequences of an aging society, municipal, provincial and the federal governments are putting forward policies and programs aimed at facilitating aging at home. The interest in developing sustainable and more senior friendly communities received impetus from the World Health Organization’s 2007 global research and initiatives concerning age-friendly cities. Increasingly, Canadian cities are adopting planning principles designed to enhance and develop liveable communities that benefit all age groups, but which are particularly necessary to support older adults and to facilitate their aging at home, thus enhancing their well being and their social contribution.
Goal of the Case Study
Students taking part in the following case study will develop plans, strategies and components necessary for the creation and implementation of a senior friendly community. During this process, they will gain a greater awareness of the challenges confronting citizens as they age, as well as of the multidimensional elements contributing to their quality of life and enhancing their participation and contributions to society.
During this activity that requires two meetings, you will be informed in detail about the situation. A discussion will be held and the professor will ask you to work in teams to prepare a position and solution for the following meeting. Each team will have to consider a particular aspect of the situation and play a specific role.
At the second meeting, you will present to the group and to the observer your stand on the question accordingly to your role. The observer will comment on your standpoint, and an exchange between all participants will follow.
The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 pm. room DMS 3120.
The second meeting will take place on Thursday, March 4, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., room DMS 3105.Professor : Mrs. Madeleine Dubois
Observer: Mrs. Louise A. Plouffe, Ph.D.
Public Health Agency of Canada
You must register by February 8 to be able to participate to this case study by completing this registration form.
Inquiries, please contact :
Patrick MilotStudent Experience Officer
Faculty of Social Sciences
pmilot@uOttawa.ca
Tel. : 613-562-5800 x2663