ALL AGES TO COME TOGETHER TO AID ISOLATED SENIORS
Multicultural, multi-faith event to launch drive
Loneliness and social isolation are major social, health and quality of life issues for older people. We hear regularly about how our population is aging and how the number of Canadians 65 and older will likely double over the next 25 years.
But what we don’t hear about as often is how so many older people are isolated and rely on a pet or TV for companionship. In fact, more than a million Canadian seniors report they are lonely and don’t participate very often in social activities. This can lead to a wide range of health and emotional problems, including early death.
In Ottawa, seniors (65-plus) now make up 14 per cent of the population. It is predicted that the number of seniors will more than double, growing from 100,875 in 2011 to 253,950 in 2031, equalling 22 per cent of the Ottawa population. In other words, more than one in five Ottawa residents will be over 65 in 2031.
Ottawa senior Sally St. Lewis says it’s important to keep busy.
“As a single senior living on my own, I am never lonely because I have always had a wide circle of friends of all ages.
“I’m also a very active volunteer with a variety of organizations. It is really important to keep active in both mind and body. Volunteer and talk to your friends or family every day, and you don’t have time to be isolated or lonely.”
Another Ottawa senior, Earle Lyle, has concerns about what would happen if he lost the ability to get around by himself.
“My biggest worry is becoming isolated if I lose my driver’s licence and mobility,” he said. “It is also so hard to catch a bus or find transport when you have a lot of medical appointments to get to.”
The goal of HelpAge Canada is to help Canadians of all ages, cultures and regions become more aware of the impact of social isolation on their older family members, friends and neighbours, and to help them take action.
This fall, we are launching Reach Isolated Seniors Everywhere (RISE), a national campaign to help reduce the social isolation and loneliness of our older people.
To launch the campaign and mark National Seniors Day at the same time, HelpAge Canada is organizing a multicultural, multi-faith and multi-generational event in Ottawa to talk about the effects of social isolation and loneliness on seniors and to find community-based solutions. This free event on Oct. 1 is open to seniors, youth, service providers and the whole community from all parts of the Ottawa region. We are looking for: Panel members who can discuss loneliness and isolation for seniors.
Service providers, community organizations and seniors associations to listen to the seniors on Oct. 1 tell us what they need and what they are already doing to help with isolation in their communities.
Ottawa seniors from all cultures and faiths to take part in the day. Have a table displaying your culture or faith. Have a senior and a youth there to answer questions about your unique community.
Translators from the different groups participating to help make the event accessible.
Youth and volunteers to help run the day.
During the day, seniors from different cultural backgrounds will speak about the issues, causes and solutions to seniors’ isolation and loneliness in our region.
Sharing tables will be available where you can learn about culture, spirituality and isolation here and across Canada (i.e. mingle, learn and connect). There will also be an international tea room along with music, dance and other creative cultural performances.
Seen Your Citizen? will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Ave. There will be lots of free parking and bus accessibility.
To get involved or for more information, please contact Natalie Fraser at HelpAge Canada, 613-232-0727 or nataliefraser@helpagecanada.ca
Since 1975, HelpAge Canada has been working to improve and maintain the quality of life of vulnerable older persons and their communities in Canada and around the world.