Edmonton’s Aging in Place

Community Initiatives Demonstration Project

June 22, 2011

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

1. Introductions2. Project Overview3. Work Completed to Date4. Future Plans

INTRODUCTIONS

Debbie Dundass (Project Supervisor) Rosalie Gelderman (MW Coordinator) Shelley Sabo (SE Coordinator)

PROJECT OVERVIEW

City of Edmonton’s Aging in Place Proposal received funding approval from Alberta Health and Wellness May 1, 2010

Project timelines extended to March 31, 2012 without additional funding

Report to be written by June 2012

Aging In Place Project Scope

“Aging in Place” is defined as helping to support seniors to remain in their homes in the community, for as long as they wish and are safety able to do so.

Community-based initiatives to support aging in place, which includes “neighbors helping neighbors” approaches.

Aging In Place Project Scope

Risk Factors: Transportation Social Isolation Information/Referral Home Supports

Demonstration Sites SE Edmonton Site

Seniors over 75 years Living in their homes, in six

neighbourhoods: Holyrood Ottewell Terrace/ Forest

Heights Capilano Fulton Place Gold Bar

SE Site

Demonstration Sites

Mill Woods Site Focuses on the needs of

older immigrant seniors living on their own or with family

Immigrant seniors aged 65 years and over with language and cultural barriers

Includes Mill Woods and surrounding neighbourhoods

Mill Woods Site

Project Structure

Advisory Committee

Southeast Committee Mill Woods Committee Evaluation Learning Team

Project Management Team

Key Partners/ Stakeholders 90 + stakeholders

City of Edmonton (Community Services including Fire, Police, Transportation, Library, City Council)

Health (AHS, Homecare, Good Samaritan, Elder Care, Primary Care Network)

Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council

Senior Centres (SAGE, SEESA, Mill Woods Seniors Activity Centre)

Seniors Groups (AB Caregivers, Meals on Wheels, SCAS, local groups)

Community Leagues (SE Edmonton and Area Council)

Community Groups (Faith-based groups, AMA, Lions Club)

Multicultural groups (Multicultural Health Brokers, Welcome Centre, Multicultural Women and Seniors, Council of India)

Project Focus

Community development approach

Finding and working with community partners

Build upon community strengths/ resources

Informal and formal initiatives must address risk factors

Sustainable initiatives “Age friendly”

communities Learning's will be

tracked via a developmental evaluation

Initial Learnings about Mill Woods Site

Very complex site in Mill Woods 10+ languages and many cultural

groups

Cultural groups/ seniors groups/ other community partners were not well-connected Takes time to build relationships

(relationship-trust-credibility)

Initial Learnings about Mill Woods Site

Many needs (specific cultural groups, immigrant populations and seniors-related needs)

More seniors are living with extended family/ need family initiatives to support seniors

Need a variety of approaches (general and targeted)

Initial Learnings about Mill Woods site

Key Issues: Social Isolation (especially women) Lack of resource information (language and

literacy challenges) Culturally appropriate meal delivery Culturally appropriate support to caregivers Transportation (ETS mini bus, group outings, free

or low cost door-through-door service) Low Incomes, especially sponsored seniors not

able to apply for OAS/GIS Elder Abuse More cultural awareness by all community

resource providers

Initial Learnings about Southeast Site

Many older seniors are the original home owners (many for 50 yrs.+) especially in Ottewell

Many live alone or are care-giving for their spouse

“Neighbour helping neighbour” difficult to achieve when younger families are few

Adult children & caregivers overextended Community leagues in area are supportive

and willing to help

Initial Learnings about Southeast Site

Insufficient outreach services (SEESA has high caseload)

High demand on health services (walk in’s at public health office)

Door-through-door transportation services in high demand

Housing options are limited – need to move out of neighbourhood

Professionals work in isolation - SE Interagency being established

Learnings about Southeast Site

Key Issues

Lack of resource information Decline of Capilano Mall as a hub Lack of transportation options (no community

bus in three northern neighbourhoods) Safety issues – especially fraud Home support (especially yard and snow

services) Community Leagues have willingness to help

seniors but need to know how to begin

COMPLETED WORK

Other Highlights

Mill Woods Site

MOW now offers Halal meals and extended frozen meal service in MW

Joint Potlucks between Senior Groups is fostering intercultural understanding

Transportation Forum Faces of Mill Woods, art project shown at

Creative Age Art Show

Highlights

Southeast Site Two “It Takes a Village to Age in Place”

Workshops Transportation Forum Capilano Mall Seniors Resource Fair Age Friendly Grocery store audits SAGE - Snow Busters Program Community League senior liaisons

Communication

Artwork created Web site developed Print media - Edmonton

Examiner/ Edmonton Journal/ Community Newspapers

“Edmonton This Week” CHED radio

Info fairs – Connections 2011, Capilano Fair, Africa Connect

Media response to events

2011/ 2012 MILL WOODS PLANS

1. Transportation

Community Mini Bus/ ETS education Promote Volunteer Assisted Driving

Programs Promote Driving Angel Program/ Social

Marketing (encourage volunteer drivers) Explore other transportation models

2011/ 2012 MILL WOODS PLANS

2. Social Isolation

AGEless Pursuits (Active Giving Engaged Seniors)

Caregiver support for Indo-Canadian community

Transportation to Social programs/ outreach

2011/ 2012 MILL WOODS PLANS

3. Information/ Referral

Exhibition in a Box How best to package resources and

information to immigrant seniors Computer summer training camps Mobilizing for Action Training

2011/ 2012 MILL WOODS PLANS

4. Home Support

Ethnic Meals being prepared at MOW Promote SCAS/SATS Promote Snow Angels/ social marketing Summary of seniors entitlements (related

to sponsorship) Promote Assisted Waste Collection Fire Safety and Falls Prevention

presentations

2011/ 2012 SOUTHEAST PLANS

1. Transportation

ETS community minibus improvements

Recruit/ encourage volunteers Promote SCAS Driving Program Promote Driving Angel Program

2011/ 2012 SOUTHEAST PLANS

2. Social Isolation

Enhance Lamplighter program, build on It Takes A Village To Age in Place Workshops

Neighbourhood Watch - Wisdom Crew – recognition of seniors being eyes on the street

Explore capacity of faith community Strengthen existing seniors groups

2011/ 2012 SOUTHEAST PLANS

3. Home Supports

Snow Busters/ partnership with community groups

Partner with Snow Angels coordinator Explore potential of developmentally

disabled groups to partner with SCAS Promote Assisted Waste Collection Promote presentations on falls prevention

and fire safety

2011/ 2012 SOUTHEAST PLANS

4. Other

Community Leagues – develop job description for seniors liaison

Promote “adopt-a-senior” concept Connect with service providers & link to

new SE interagency – concept of ‘seniors info’ meeting

EVALUATION

Learning Team established Developmental approach to capture

learning’s Record project outcomes – both

quantitative and qualitative information

Stories will be captured from many perspectives