1. OTTAWA OLDER ADULT PLAN

PLAN RELATIF AUX PERSONNES ÂGÉES D’OTTAWA

Committee RecommendationS as amended

That Council approve the following:

1. That the Organization Development and Performance (ODP) Department work with the Seniors Advisory Committee, City Departments and Community Partners to refine and refresh a Seniors Strategy and action plan development;

2. That the investigation done to refine and refresh a Seniors Strategy include income data to compare the seniors data with that of other age groups;

3. That ODP include any requirement for external consulting services in its 2010 budget estimates; and,

4. That the review also consider the first recommendation from the Seniors Advisory Committee.

RecommandationS MODIFIÉES DU Comité

Que le Conseil approuve ce qui suit :

1. Que le Service du développement et du rendement organisationnels (DRO) collaborera avec le Comité consultatif sur les personnes âgées, les services de la Ville et les partenaires communautaires afin de préciser et de mettre à jour la stratégie sur les personnes âgées et d’élaborer un plan d’action connexe;

2. Que l’examen effectué en vue de préciser et de mettre à jour la Stratégie sur les personnes âgées inclura de l’information sur le revenu afin de comparer les données relatives aux personnes âgées avec celles des autres groupes d’âges;

3. QUE DRO inclura tous les besoins relatifs aux services de consultation externes dans ses prévisions budgétaires de 2010; et

4. Que l’examen se penche également sur la première recommandation du Comité consultatif sur les personnes âgées.

Documentation

1. Seniors Advisory Committee’s report dated 15 July 2009 (ACS2009-CCV-SAC-0001).

2. Extract of Draft Minutes, 17 September 2009.

Report to/Rapport au:

Community and Protective Services Committee /

Comité des services communautaires et de protection

and Council/et au Conseil

15 July 2009 / le 15 juillet 2009

Submitted by/Soumis par: Seniors Advisory Committee/

Comité consultatif sur les personnes âgées

Contact/Personne-ressource: Jodi Collins

Advisory Committee Coordinator/coordonnatrice du comité consultatif

580-2424, ext/poste 15899, Jodi.Collins@ottawa.ca

Ref N°: ACS2009-CCV-SAC-0001

SUBJECT: OTTAWA OLDER ADULT PLAN

OBJET: PLAN RELATIF AUX PERSONNES ÂGÉES D’OTTAWA

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

The Seniors Advisory Committee recommends that the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council direct staff to:

1. Undertake a formal initiative to develop a comprehensive Ottawa Older Adult Plan to include service delivery, organization and management, partnerships with agencies and governments, volunteer support, financial incentives and subsidies, and accessibility among other issues; and

2. Establish a "Seniors Services Division".

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Le Comité consultatif sur les personnes âgées recommande au Comité des services de protection et d’urgence de recommander à son tour au Conseil d’enjoindre le personnel :

1. d’amorcer une initiative officielle en vue d’élaborer un plan général relatif aux personnes âgées portant notamment sur la prestation de service, l’organisation et la gestion, les partenariats avec les organismes et les gouvernements, le soutien bénévole, les mesures incitatives financières et les subventions ainsi que l’accessibilité entre autres questions; et

2. d’établir une « Division des services aux personnes âgées.

BACKGROUND

The mandate of the Seniors Advisory Committee is to act as a liaison to enrich and enhance the lives of seniors in the City, identify barriers, form partnerships with the community, and act as a public forum for issues affecting seniors.

At its 13 July 2009 meeting, the Seniors Advisory Committee highlighted issues and concerns with respect to seniors and the City of Ottawa and approved the following motion:

WHEREAS Ottawa is getting older with the number of seniors (aged 65-plus) increasing by 50 per cent during the next 20 years and those over age 50 exceeding 400,000;

AND WHEREAS the City strategic plan hardly mentions seniors while other Ontario cities have actual plans and strategies in place;

AND WHEREAS the older adult community is a large user of City services to include libraries, OC Transpo, recreation programs, Para-Transpo, emergency services, long term care, seniors centres, public health, social services, police, public housing, fire and other services;

AND WHEREAS current availability, accessibility and funding for the senior population is inequitable throughout the City;

AND WHEREAS the organization and delivery of senior services is stove-piped so that there is little synergy and no overall champion for seniors issues;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Seniors Advisory Committee recommend that the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council direct staff to:

2. Establish a "Seniors Services Division".

DISCUSSION

There is no shortage of studies and recommendations for dealing with what will certainly be a major demographic shift for society and cities in particular. Thus far, Ottawa has generally kept in touch with the needs and concerns of the growing senior population.

This has been accomplished more by good luck than by good management. So far, seniors’ activities and programs have been managed within stovepipes whether they be Public Health, OC Transpo, Ottawa Housing or any other agency or department. There has been no overall plan or strategy for seniors nor has there been a central "Champion" within the City administration with direct responsibility for seniors issues and to provide the necessary coordination and synergy among agencies and departments.

It would appear that the City has established a de facto outsourcing policy to deal with seniors’issues. By allowing (and often funding) seniors agencies and support services to set the agenda, the City has lost control of many of these activities and services.

Seniors should be thought of as an asset to the City rather than a hindrance. Many seniors are also taxpayers and yet draw very little on city resources. They are a valuable resource as volunteers for many activities throughout the community for the benefit of the city as a whole. Their service needs to be appreciated and even rewarded.

The whole issue of subsidization for seniors is a difficult one. Currently, a number of different programs and services provide some sort of fee reduction or subsidy. Seniors as a group have lower incomes than the general population, however, does this necessarily mean an across the board subsidy? Perhaps it is time to look at this whole issue on a larger scale. It could consider what other municipalities are doing, whether a means test would be better or even perhaps a graduated scale by age. Seniors do appreciate the perks they receive but they also realize that there is a cost involved and that it must be justified.

The previous various studies have fallen by the wayside or have been overtaken by events. The Successful Aging Ottawa coalition has appeared to have been disbanded and the Seniors Agenda has lost its focus and rarely meets. Over the past year, the Seniors Advisory Committee has only once been approached to provide advice to staff.

With the aging demography raising its head, now is the time to turn the page and look at the future and where we want to go in making Ottawa an Age Friendly city. Previous studies, recommendations and agendas have generally only nibbled at the edges. What the city needs is a clear seniors strategic plan which is well documented and has universal staff and political support and a “Seniors’ Services Division” to manage and coordinate all of the seniors related activities and programs.

CONSULTATION

City Operations

As a result of the successes achieved through the Seniors Agenda, the City continues to support an integrated approach to providing service to the community through fostering collaboration and partnerships.

In 2005, the Seniors Agenda was one of twelve council approved priority projects for the former Department of Community and Protective Services. The Seniors Agenda involved extensive community consultation whereby three priorities were identified by the broader senior community - Transportation, Housing and Communication. Community partnerships were developed to further these priority areas. These partnerships are now well developed and include: the Council on Aging, Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee; the United Way Senior's Impact Council; the United Way Affordable Supportive Housing for Seniors Task Group; and the Champlain LHIN's Regional Geriatric Advisory Committee.

As part of the recent re-alignment of City services and branches and with the resultant Service Excellence Framework, residents and stakeholders will have an additional opportunity to provide insight into the delivery of City programs and services for seniors. For example, the Parks and Recreation and Cultural Services Department is refreshing their 50+ Recreation Strategy. Beginning in late September, focus group sessions will be held at 16 different locations across the city in order to consult with residents and gather information on recreation needs and preferences. In addition the Recreation Maser Plan consultative process has been another venue for the senior community at large to provide comment on services and issues affecting then, including affordability and accessibility.

The responsibility the City’s seniors portfolio has moved into the Client Service Strategies Branch of Organizational Development and Performance, ensuring a corporate focus and coordinated approach. This was done to ensure that the City’s efforts to address seniors’ issues and service needs would be more deliberate, operational and integrated into the everyday business of the City.

As a result, City staff continues to work collaboratively across departments and branches as well as with community partners through an internal Seniors Work Group. Their focus is to foster healthy and active aging by addressing the three communities identified priorities under the former Senior’s Agenda by sharing best practices and information on current initiatives affecting seniors. In addition, the internal Seniors Work group has been able to achieve a coordinated approach to community events and participation such as Ward Councillor Social Teas, Social Planning Council Community Meetings and other Senior Service Agencies events and information fairs. Examples of corporate initiatives supporting coordinated service delivery to seniors includes, development of an Equity and Inclusion Lens with Seniors as a priority group, implementing the new provincial legislation for Accessible Customer Service with staff training, new policies and other processes, updating the Brochure for Senior's Services and supporting Seniors Day 2010 planning. In addition, the Community Development Framework is a current integrated approach to service delivery lead by City Operations which leverages community assets as well as builds respect, broader community understanding and community connectivity. This integrated approach includes community engagement through consultation at a neighbourhood level and will provide an additional forum for local seniors’ needs and gaps to be identified and addressed.

The City believes this integrated service delivery approach is more responsive to seniors in all aspects of their lives and dealings with the City. We will continue to seek support and advice from the Seniors Advisory Committee as well as that of other seniors’ organizations, in moving forward on the strategies already in place.

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability

The City in partnership with the City of Gatineau and the National Capital Commission is currently involved in a collaborative regional initiative known as Choosing our Future. The purpose of the partnership is to sensitize the community and our institutions to the challenges of the 21st century and create a long-term, integrated plan for sustainability in the National Capital Region. The initiative will address all pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, cultural, and social.

The Choosing our Future initiative will include an analysis of demographic change, its consequences, and a variety of possible responses to the issues raised. This means that the issue of aging will be addressed. The initiative that will encompass a 100-year vision and 30-year strategic direction, will be completed by the spring of 2011. The project team is working with an extensive Resource Group made up of experts in different fields. A representative of the Seniors Advisory Committee is presently a member of this group.

Conclusion

Staff believes the City is well resourced for, and committed to, the provision of services to seniors with respect to both the planning and delivery of current services and the longer term planning process to identify and plan for emerging needs.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

No budget has been identified to develop a comprehensive Ottawa Older Adult Plan or the establishment of a Seniors Services Division.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 – Extract of Seniors Advisory Committee Minutes – 13 July 2009

Document 2 – Seniors’ and the City of Ottawa…the way ahead (P. Van Boeschoten, Chair)

DISPOSITION

City staff to implement Council’s decision(s).

DOCUMENT 1

seniors advisory

committee

Extract of minutes 24

13 july 2009

comitÉ consultatif sur

les personnes ÂgÉes

Extrait du procès-verbal 24

le 13 juillet 2009

MOTION OF WHICH NOTICE HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY GIVEN

MOTION AYANT FAIT L’OBJET D’UN AVIS PRÉCÉDENT

2. Ottawa Older Adult Plan

PLAN RELATIF AUX PERSONNES ÂGÉES D’OTTAWA

At the outset, Dianne Breton, presiding officer presided for the chair on this item.

Member Van Boeschoten provided a PowerPoint Presentation on “Seniors’ and the city of Ottawa…the way ahead”, which is held on file with the city clerk’s office pursuant to the City of Ottawa Records Retention and Disposition By-law.

He went on to say the it is not the aim of the paper to suggest solutions to seniors’ issues and concerns but rather to highlight them in a general way so that a proper study and strategy or plan can be proposed to enable the City of Ottawa to prepare for the coming generation shift. The more salient recommendations were as follows:

· Formal initiative to develop a comprehensive Ottawa Older Adult Plan to include service delivery, organization and management, partnerships with agencies and governments, volunteer support, financial incentives and subsidies, and accessibility among other issues;

· Follow the precedent set by Mississauga and appoint a high-level committee composed of Councillors, staff and seniors and assisted by an outside consultant team; and

· The City of Ottawa adding “Age Friendly City” to its strategic priorities to enable the formulation of an Older Adult plan.

He concluded by saying that he does not anticipate that this would require or generate significant long term budgetary pressure as many of the outcomes would likely mean a re-organization of current resources.

Yolande Cremer, Program Manager, Customer Relations, Community Development and Funding, City Operations, provided a high-level response noting that the City continues to support an integrated approach to service for the community through fostering collaboration and partnerships. She went on to say that the Community Development Framework is a current integrated approach to service delivery. The Seniors Agenda involved extensive community consultation whereby three priorities were identified by the broader senior community-Transportation, Housing and Communication and community partnerships were developed to further these priority areas. She noted that the official departmental response would be included in the SAC report to Community and Protective Services Committee.

The Committee then considered and approved Member Van Boeschoten’s amended motion:

WHEREAS Ottawa is getting older with the number of seniors (aged 65-plus) increasing by 50 per cent during the next 20 years and those over age 50 exceeding 400,000;

AND WHEREAS the City strategic plan hardly mentions seniors while other Ontario cities have actual plans and strategies in place;

AND WHEREAS current availability, accessibility and funding for the senior population is inequitable throughout the City;

AND WHEREAS the organization and delivery of senior services is stove-piped so that there is little synergy and no overall champion for seniors issues;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Seniors Advisory Committee recommend that the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council direct staff to:

2. Establish a "Seniors Services Division".

CARRIED, as amended

Action 1: The Committee Coordinator will relay the motion to the appropriate staff and will work with Chair Van Boeschoten to prepare a draft report.

Action 2: The Committee Coordinator will finalize the report and submit it to the City Operations and Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability portfolios for final department and financial comment before transmitting it to the Community and Protective Services Committee and Council for consideration (anticipated dates of consideration are unknown at this time).

DOCUMENT 2

Seniors and the City of Ottawa

… the way ahead

Purpose:

The aim of this discussion paper is to highlight issues and concerns with respect to seniors and the city of Ottawa from the perspective of the Seniors Advisory Committee. This paper has been produced without staff support and reflects the collective view of the Seniors Advisory Committee.

It is not the aim of the paper to suggest solutions to Seniors issues and concerns but rather to highlight them in a general way so that a proper study and strategy or plan can be proposed to enable the City of Ottawa to prepare for the coming generation shift.

Background:

The Seniors Advisory Committee is a citizen advisory committee reporting through the Community and Protective Services Committee to Council. It is currently composed of 10 members from a wide cross section of the Senior and senior support community. One of our mandates is "providing advice based on input received to improve the programs, policies and services provided to seniors". The Committee regularly receives reports and presentations from City departments and agencies on programs related to Seniors.

Demographics:

Public Health Agency of Canada

The demographics are clear and have been well documented elsewhere. Seniors are growing in absolute terms and also in the percentage of the population. Furthermore, these seniors are healthier and more active than seniors of past generations. The City's own website states that by the year 2020, more than one in six Ottawa residents will be over the age of 65. By then, projections indicate an increase of 100,000 seniors over 2001 numbers, totalling 189,000.

Seniors defined:

It is difficult to categorize seniors as a group. They come in all ethnicities, income levels and well being. There is no universal age yardstick either. Depending on the jurisdiction, group or organization it can be anywhere up from age 50 plus. There are younger seniors who may be frail and feel older and there may be older seniors who are offended to be even in the grouping. The terminology is also under debate as to whether we call them Seniors or Older Adults. The Ontario Ministry of Health also uses the term "elderly persons".

Jurisdiction:

It is important to differentiate the responsibilities for many seniors issues. While many activities and support programs are the responsibility of the City, others such as pensions and health care come under Federal and Provincial jurisdiction. Still other programs are funded by higher levels of government but delivered by the City.

City Areas of interest:

Seniors are involved with just about every aspect of City services:

Housing
Emergency Services (Police, Fire and Para-medic service)
Public Transportation (OC-Transpo and Para Transpo)
Libraries
Roads and sidewalks
Parks and recreation
Seniors Centres
Public Health
Long Term Care
Community Funding
City Administration
Taxes and utilities
Communication

Seniors centres/facilities/organizations:

The City operates four Seniors Centres under the Parks and Recreation Branch. These include Nepean, Churchill, Kanata and Heron Road. These are legacy facilities inherited through amalgamation from former municipalities. Other Senior Centres and organizations are privately operated and receive a mix of public and private funding.

Governance:

There is no centre of Seniors expertise. Seniors issues are dealt with by the individual branch or department. Within those Branches and Departments there is also generally no specific focus for Seniors issues.

The good things:

Overall, Seniors in the City are well looked after. Seniors receive reduced rates for programs. OC Transpo has reduced fares and even more recently free rides on Wednesdays. There is a tax deference program for seniors with low incomes and a pilot snow-go program has just finished its second year. Seniors are able to readily contact city services through the 311 program. Public and supportive housing for seniors has been identified. Other areas include promoting better sidewalks and staffing for "elder abuse" with the Police service.

What others have done:

In 2007 The World Health Organization established the Age-Friendly Cities project. It had participation from the Federal Public Health agency and included four Canadian Municipalities as part of the project. The following measurement criteria were used:

Outdoor spaces and buildings
Transportation
Housing
Social participation
Respect and inclusion
Civic participation and employment
Communication and information
Community Support and healthy services

In 2005 the City of Toronto the Toronto Seniors Forum identified five priority areas to address. These priorities were further refined after a wider community

consultation process. These areas include:

Seniors’ financial resources/costs/fees/access issues
Housing and accommodation/long-term care
Individual health environment, community and culturally sensitive services
Safety, security and legal protection
Participation and leadership/advocacy.

The City of London established a 53 page Community Action Plan "Working Together to Support London's Seniors". It identified the following key areas for action:

Working Better Together
Health and Mental Health
Access to Information
Isolation
Recreation and Leisure Opportunities
Transportation

In 2008 the City of Mississauga published their 51 page "Older Adult Plan". This comprehensive plan had action areas for:

Organization and Management
Programs for Subsidy
Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines
Collaboration and Partnerships
Marketing and Communications
Older Adult Programs, Services, and Facilities

This spring the Senate of Canada produced a 223 page report on Canada's Aging Population. It has chapters on "Active Aging in Age Friendly Cities" and "Supporting the Voluntary Sector".

What Ottawa has done:

In cooperation with the City, the Council on Aging in 2004 did an extensive study using Statistics Canada data on the language, living arrangements, ethnicity, income, education, health and well-being of seniors living in Ottawa.

In 2001 The University of Toronto together with the Council on Aging conducted a seniors "Quality of Life Project". The 28 page document for Ottawa recommended:

Increase funding to home support agencies.
Improve French language health care services.
Respond to seniors’ concerns which in turn encourage their involvement in their communities.
Create a seniors’ advisory group which assists the City Council in decision making regarding bilingual services.
Install a one-stop bilingual community information line.
Open seniors’ store fronts in local shopping centres where information and referrals are available.
Provide increased funding to organizations that provide a wealth of volunteer-driven supports for seniors, but are severely underfunded.
"Vieillir chez soi / Aging in Place” projects in all Ottawa Housing Corporation buildings as well as all private multiple dwellings with large senior populations.

Successful Aging Ottawa was launched June 2002 with the following partners endorsing their support and participation – The Council on Aging of Ottawa, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, City of Ottawa, Regional Geriatric Assessment Program, Community Care Access Centre, SCO Health Service, Elisabeth Bruyère Research Institute and United Way/Centraide Ottawa. It did an extensive study and consultation producing 28 recommendations to include the establishment of the Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee.

This led to the City of Ottawa in 2005 establishing the Seniors Agenda. A series of community consultations was held that fall and identified three areas of priority:

Housing
Transportation and mobility
Communication.

Official Plan:

The Ottawa 2020 Human Services Plan is now 6 years old and included only 2 of 95 pages to seniors. One project item with respect to seniors was identified which led directly to the Successful Aging Ottawa coalition report of 2003. The City Strategic Plan for the term 2007-2010 only mentions seniors once and that was to make sure that they had the opportunity to provide input to Council.

Observations:

Seniors are spread throughout the City. There are proportionately just as many seniors in the rural and suburban areas as in the urban core. In fact growth of the seniors population in the suburban areas is highest overall. Within all these areas the 15% of seniors who fall below the low-income-cut-off is relatively constant.

Out of a community funding budget of over $20 million approximately only just over $1 million is identified for seniors agencies and seniors support services. This year of $480,000 in community project funding only $16,700 went to seniors programs despite the fact that seniors were identified as one of the five priorities for this funding.

The four City operated Seniors centres have no common element and have different membership fees, programs, resources, staffing and governance. There also would not appear to be any central qualification, expertise or experience in the delivery of recreation and cultural programs for the older adult and senior population.

Other seniors centres and organizations are spread haphazardly throughout the city. If there are areas which are under serviced it is not clear because no studies have been done. The organizations which do exist include some which are large and well funded and others which are operating on shoe string with few resources. Some in this latter group go from pillar to post to find funding and other support. There does not appear to be anywhere to turn.

Discussion:

In reviewing the literature there is no shortage of studies and recommendations for dealing with what will certainly be a major demographic shift for society and cities in particular. Thus far Ottawa has generally kept in touch with the needs and concerns of the growing senior population.

This has been accomplished more by good luck than by good management. So far, seniors activities and programs have been managed within stovepipes whether they be Public Health, OC Transpo, Ottawa Housing or any other agency or department.

There has been no overall plan or strategy for seniors nor has there been a central "Champion" within the City administration with direct responsibility for seniors issues and to provide the necessary coordination and synergy among agencies and departments.

It would appear that the City has established a de facto outsourcing policy to deal with seniors issues. By allowing (and often funding) seniors agencies and support services to set the agenda the City has lost control of many of these activities and services.

Seniors should be thought of as an asset to the City rather than a hindrance. Many seniors are also taxpayers and draw yet draw very little on city resources. They are a valuable resource as volunteers for many activities throughout the community for the benefit of the city as a whole. Their service needs to be appreciated and even rewarded.

The whole issue of subsidization for seniors is a difficult one. Currently a number of different programs and services provide some sort of fee reduction or subsidy. Seniors as a group have lower incomes than the general population, however, does this necessarily mean an across the board subsidy? Perhaps it is time to look at this whole issue on a larger scale. It could consider what other municipalities are doing, whether a means test would be better or even perhaps a graduated scale by age. Seniors do appreciate the perks they receive but they also realize that there is a cost involved and that it must be justified.

The previous various studies have fallen by the wayside or have been overtaken by events. The Successful Aging Ottawa coalition has appeared to have been disbanded and the Seniors Agenda has lost its focus and rarely meets. Over the past year the Seniors Advisory Committee has only once been approached to provide advice to staff.

Recommendation:

That Council undertake a formal initiative to develop a comprehensive Ottawa Older Adult Plan to include service delivery, organization and management, partnerships with agencies and governments, volunteer support, financial incentives and subsidies, and accessibility among other issues.

It is further recommended that Council follow the precedent set by Mississauga and appoint a high level committee composed of Councillors, staff and seniors and assisted by an outside consultant team.

To initiate the study and give it credibility, it is also recommended that Council add "making Ottawa as an Age Friendly City" to its strategic priorities.

Finally, it is important that the City put in place a structure such as a "Seniors Services Division" to manage and coordinate all of the seniors related activities and programs.

While there would be some funding and dedicated staff time required to enable the formulation of an Older Adult plan it is not anticipated that it would require or generate significant long term budgetary pressure as many of the outcomes would likely just mean a reordering of current resources.

Conclusion:

In a time when we see a number of infrastructure plans, when we are required to do environmental assessments, and when we have an art acquisition strategy; is it not time that we had a formal plan and strategy for the 20% of the population who will be looking to the City to provide them with a caring and supportive environment?

References:

World Health Organization:

http://www.who.int/ageing/publications/Global_age_friendly_cities_Guide_English.pdf

Mississauga Older Adult Plan:

http://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/Older_Adult_Plan.pdf

London Seniors:

http://www.london.ca/About_London/PDFs/Working_Together_to_Support_Londons_Seniors_Community_Action_Plan.pdf

Senate Report 2009 "Canada's Aging Population: Seizing the Opportunity":

http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/rep-e/AgingFinalReport-e.pdf

Successful Aging Ottawa 2002 study:

http://www.coaottawa.ca/sao_publications/SAO_SumNotesOct05.pdf

Seniors Agenda 2006 Report:

http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/hrssc/2006/03-02/ACS2006-CPS-LTC-0001.htm

OTTAWA OLDER ADULT PLAN

PLAN RELATIF AUX PERSONNES ÂGÉES D’OTTAWA

ACS2009-CCV-SAC-0001 CITY-WIDE / À L’ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE

Peter van Boeschoten, Chair of the Seniors Advisory Committee (SAC), provided a PowerPoint presentation, which is held on file with the City Clerk. His presentation focussed on the following points:

· Goal of moving toward an Ottawa Older Adult Plan

· Highlights of issues and concerns

· Demographics

· Areas of interest

· Current programs, centres and resources

· Benchmarking, including the World Health Organization’s age-friendly city model

· Recommendations

Councillor Cullen touched on previous work done in 2002 and 2006, leading to the Seniors Agenda. He asked if Recommendation 2 was premature.

Mr. van Boeschoten responded that management and governance are an important part of the plan and he said SAC prefers realigning resources from the start to ensure an effective point of contact.

Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager of City Operations, indicated that the actions flowing out of the Seniors Agenda have been implemented. He noted the seniors Impact Council has been turned into the affordable housing working group.

Councillor Cullen touched on the number of initiatives, such as Aging in Place, that have been implemented. He emphasized the demographic shift that will occur by 2031 when 20 per cent of residents will be seniors. He spoke in support of refreshing the Seniors Agenda questioning if the initiative has lost momentum.

Mr. Kanellakos expressed support for SAC’s objectives, but expressed doubt that a separate business unit would be useful or appropriate. He agreed that it is time to refresh the Seniors Agenda to stay ahead of the curve, noting the positive steps that have occurred. For example, the five Aging in Place projects have reduced emergency room visits by 1000. He noted that the former Community and Protective Services Department was driving 12 strategic priorities, including the Seniors Agenda. The Organization Development and Performance Department could work with the Seniors Advisory Committee and partners to refresh the Seniors Strategy. He also advised that a status report on current initiatives would be brought forward to showcase the work that has been done since 2006.

Councillor Cullen thanked the Seniors Advisory Committee for their report, noting that they are providing useful advice and keeping Council informed of issues facing seniors.

Flo Ladds, President of the South Ottawa Seniors Activity Association (SOSO), agreed with the motion brought forward by the Seniors Advisory Committee. She touched on her goal to have a drop in centre for seniors (60 years and above) established in the Hunt Club Riverside Community. She noted that SOSO was incorporated one and half years a go and has a roster of approximately 150 seniors and 89 paid membership. She suggested the need is now to provide a place for SOSO to grow by providing a space for seniors in the community to socialise, have fun and make new friends. She looked forward to providing input into the Older Adult Plan. Ms. Ladds stated that the way to keep seniors in their home is to provide opportunities to go out and socialize with others.

Aaron Burry, General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, confirmed that the community centre construction is underway and that a room will be dedicated to seniors during the day. Programming will be provided but the model has not been finalised.

Chair Deans asked Mr. Burry to meet with Ms. Ladds, as she believed the project was responding to the request expressed by the delegation.

Councillor Feltmate presented a motion to refresh the Seniors Strategy. At the request of Mr. van Boeschoten the words “and action plan development” were added to the motion.

Moved by P. Feltmate:

WHEREAS, the City of Ottawa recently transitioned the responsibilities of the former Senior’s Agenda to the Client Service Strategies Branch in the Organization Development and Performance Department, as part of the corporate realignment to ensure services priorities for client groups such as seniors are coordinated in a central office;

AND WHEREAS City Council through its Strategic Plan 2007-2010 directed staff to improve the service delivery culture of the organization in order to increase client satisfaction and ensure that services are provided in a manner that meets the needs of all Ottawa residents, including seniors;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Organization Development and Performance (ODP) Department work with the SAC, City Departments and Community Partners to refine and refresh a Seniors Strategy and action plan development;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ODP include any requirement for external consulting services in its 2010 budget estimates.

CARRIED

Councillor Holmes moved a motion related to income data, noting the varying needs and incomes of seniors.

Moved by D. Holmes:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the investigation done to refine and refresh a Seniors Strategy include income data to compare the senior data with that of other age groups.

CARRIED

Councillor Cullen suggested that the first recommendation of the Seniors Advisory Committee be considered as part of the upcoming work.

Moved by A. Cullen:

That Recommendation 1 be referred to the refresh of the Seniors Strategy and Recommendation 2 be received for information.

CARRIED

The Seniors Advisory Committee recommend that the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council direct staff to:

REFERRED

2. Establish a "Seniors Services Division".

RECEIVED