We are excited to invite you to the upcoming September 11th Community Stakeholder Forum to inform next steps in the development of the Niagara Aging Strategy.

The Niagara Aging Strategy Project, coordinated by the Niagara Age-Friendly Community (AFC) Network, and funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, aims to engage the community of older adults, service providers and stakeholders from the business, non-profit and government sectors across Niagara to develop:

  1. A comprehensive Aging Strategy and Action Plan
  2. Tool kits to enable the implementation of the Plan
  3. A sustainability plan that identifies champions and other measures to ensure the Aging Strategy and Action Plan will be implemented across Niagara after the project is concluded.

A Project Steering Committee of key community stakeholders has been assembled to provide leadership and commitment to future implementation of project outcomes. In addition, three Planning Committees are respectively addressing issues related to well and fit seniors, seniors requiring some assistance with daily living, and seniors needing 24 hour support. The Steering Committee and the planning teams include individuals from across Niagara who represent non-profit agencies, government and businesses. They also include numerous older adults and others interested in older adults’ wellbeing and in promoting an age-friendly community.

Community Engagement

The success and sustainability of the Aging Strategy and Action Plan is highly dependent on the engagement of the community in its development. Over the summer months, the project coordinators are working on obtaining valuable input from hundreds of Niagara residents through various means:

  • Focus Groups: In June, focus group sessions were conducted at 12 locations across Niagara reaching over 180 participants, most of whom were older adults. A few additional sessions will be held in August and early September.
  • Interviews: Interviews with political officials and other community key informants are underway.
  • Survey: A provider survey of services for seniors and related issues has been conducted with well over 50 participants.
  • Community Stakeholder Forum: Plans are underway for a stakeholder forum to obtain further input from the community and to contribute to the development of a draft aging strategy and action plan, tool kits and a sustainability plan.

Community Stakeholder Forum

We are excited to see this work really take shape! As a next-step to help develop the Niagara Aging Strategy, everyone from the Niagara community is invited to attend an active and hands-on Community Stakeholder Forum on September 11 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Welland Community Wellness Complex.

Members of the Niagara Aging Strategy Steering Committee and the three Planning Teams look forward to others from the community joining them to:

  • review findings from the focus groups, provider survey and interviews;
  • create a vision for the future; and
  • develop goals to help achieve the vision and shape the Aging Strategy for Niagara.
  • Everyone is invited to come and have a say in our future and specifically on how to continue with the promotion of an age-friendly Niagara – a community for all ages. services for seniors and our future.

Cathy Fusco and Dominic Ventresca
Co-Chairs, Niagara Age Friendly Community Network

Please send any comments or questions to agefriendly@niagararegion.ca