planning for our aging population glenn miller, fcip, rpp monday, december 1, 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Planning for Our Aging Population
Glenn Miller, FCIP, RPPMonday,
December 1, 2014
Planning for Our Aging Population
• Why we need to pay attention to aging• Planners and others responsible for built environment
slow to adapt to demographic shift• Can urban strategies work for rural areas?
Why We Need to Pay Attention to Aging
Why Focus on Aging: the Changing Demographic Reality
1961 1 Canadian in 14 is 65+
1927 Old Age Security1957 Registered Retirement Savings Plans1965 Canada Pension Plan1967 Guaranteed Income Supplement
Understanding the Demographic Shift
2041 1 Canadian in 4 is 65+
Physical, social & fiscal impacts
By 2041– More seniors than school age
children– More seniors than people of
working age– Dependency ratio will be 2:1– Low growth or decline in rural
communities
Source: “Canada’s Aging Population” by Health Canada and the Interdepartmental Committee on Aging and Seniors Issues, 2002
Percentage of seniors in 2036•21.3%in the GTA •30.5% in the Northeast•43.8% in Prince Edward
Ontario Ministry of Finance 2014
•How rural is rural?•Metropolitan Influence Zones – relocation of urbanites•“Pure” rural communities see out- migration of youth •Low growth rural economy strains municipal fiscal capacity to enhance ACT resources
Planners and others responsible for built environment slow to adapt to demographic shift
Why Planners Have Been Slow to Embrace “Age-Friendly Communities”
WHO Global Age Friendly Cities, A Guide (2005)
Outdoor spaces and buildingsTransportationHousingSocial ParticipationRespect and Social InclusionCivic Participation and EmploymentCommunity and Health Services
Scale and Focus of AFC Unclear
•Competes for resources with other mainstream models•Difficult to integrate into policy & development control processes•Specific role for municipal departments unclear•Focuses on today, not adapting for tomorrow
Can Strategies Developed for Cities Work in Rural
Communities?
The Mobility Continuum
Defining mobility“The freedom to move is life itself” - L. Ling Suen
• The ability to travel where and when we want• Having enough information about our travel options• Knowing how to use those options• Having the means to pay for those options • Living in an environment that offers choices throughout the lifecourse
Reasons & Means to be Mobile
Friends & FamilyWorkplaceShoppingPlaces of WorshipHealthcareBankingRecreationEntertainment
Factors Driving the Decision to Relocate
DRIVERS PUSH PULL
PHYSICAL Declining health/mobility Empty nester
ECONOMIC Reduced income Right sizing
SOCIAL Single householder Carefree lifestyle
LOCATION Isolated…no longer viable Attractive alternative
The Five As applied to housing
• Availability: a range of options• Accessibility: close to services and amenities• Acceptability: safe, comfortable, pleasant• Affordability: goes without saying• Adaptability: accepts walkers, wheelchairs,
mobility scooters, or guide animals.
• Aging in place in one’s home – risk of isolation, lack of access to amenities, or….
• Municipalities can encourage redevelopment of key sites to provide options for younger seniors to transition from SFD to apartments
Aging in Place – in the Neighourhood
Can suburbs be successfully retrofitted?
Aging in a familiar place?
Successful Aging in Rural Communities Will Need Strategic Interventions
“Design for the young and you exclude the old. Design for the old and you include everyone.” Bernard Isaacs