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Report on making Olds more age-friendly expected in new year

Focus group on seniors' concerns held Nov. 25 at the legion in Olds
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Olds Age Friendly Initiative Committee chair Erica Sweetman says the town has made some progress toward making the community more age-friendly, but more could be done. Doug Collie/MVP Staff

OLDS — Organizers of a focus group on how to make Olds a more convenient, welcoming place for seniors plan to present a report to council early next year, possibly as early as Jan. 6.

The focus group, held Nov. 25 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Olds, attracted about 35 participants representing various community groups and organizations, including the Primary Care Network, church groups, the Sunshine Bus and service clubs.

Mayor Mike Muzychka and town councillors Debbie Bennett , Mary Jane Harper and Mary Anne Overwater also attended for various portions of the day.

The event was organized by the Age Friendly Committee, a subcommittee of the Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development’s Community Lifestyles Committee.

Discussions on how age-friendly Olds currently is were held regarding four areas: social participation, respect, social inclusion, communication and information.

"We had an outside facilitator from the provincial government and we asked people questions about what does an age-friendly community look like. What are the resources available to seniors and how are those resources communicated to seniors? Where do you see the gaps for seniors?" said Rita Thompson, who co-chairs the Community LIfestyles Committee along with Bernice Lynn.

“We have a lot of information and it will go into a report; a strategic plan with recommendations. Then we hope at the end that Olds will be designated as an age-friendly community, which would enable us to get some grants to do some initiatives,” she added.

“It was a lively conversation.”

Thompson had at least a couple of takeaways from the event.

“I think the things that come up for people the most are transportation. It’s a key issue for being able to attend events. And activities must be accessible, activities must be affordable,” she said.

Communicating with seniors and enabling them to obtain information was also a key concern.

Thompson, a senior herself, noted she’s pretty proficient with a computer and the internet, but not all seniors are.

She said seniors are also frustrated by “automated and complex telephone systems.”

Olds Age Friendly Initiative Committee chair Erica Sweetman said isolation is also a big problem for seniors.  

“Maybe a neighbour has died that was the one who popped in on old Mrs. Smith. Maybe the family’s moved away and the daughter can only be in touch once every so often, and maybe old Mrs. Smith doesn’t like that but doesn’t know how to — or doesn’t have — the initiative or the wherewithal to change it,” she said.

Thompson noted in 2012, a survey indicated Olds has a higher than average percentage of seniors. Another survey in 2017 outlined several concerns seniors have about living in the community.

Sweetman said since then, the town has made some progress toward making the community more age-friendly.

“I think we’re quite good in Olds,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of things done already.”

For example, she said curbs are now easier for seniors to deal with in many areas and the timing of lights at crosswalks has been lengthened at some intersections.

 

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