Making Hamilton more age-friendly

Events look at how cities can be made more livable for seniors, why we’re living longer

Since 2015 in Canada there are more people over 65 than under 15 — a “demographic shift” that is especially true in Hamilton where there are specific neighbourhoods with a large number of seniors, says the director of the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging.

With that shift comes questions about health care, social services and lifestyle, Parminder Raina said.

“Living long is not enough, we have to make sure we’re making our aging population live well,” he said.

Two upcoming events hosted by MIRA are taking a closer look at how cities can be more livable for seniors and why people are living longer.

The institute was officially announced in 2016 thanks to a $15-million donation by chancellor Suzanne Labarge.

Before that McMaster wasn’t known for its focus on aging, but Raina said there was a lot of good work happening. This included Raina leading the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, following 50,000 Canadians between the ages of 45 and 85 for 20 years.

Raina said the idea behind the institute was to look at aging through a lens that brought together health, social, psychological, economical and environmental questions. The research is also “codesigned” meaning it includes input from stakeholders and seniors, rather than working in an “ivory tower,” he said.

Since launching, MIRA’s main focus has been looking at mobility, he said.

For instance there is an ongoing research project looking at wearable technology how it might be able to keep people mobile and active.

Two upcoming projects Raina hopes will be funded by June are expected to cost around a $1 million each. The first is looking at creating a “mobility signature” that would use data to identify when someone might be at risk of losing mobility.

The second is more community-based, real-life experiment that will look at ways to encourage people to exercise and eat well.

These projects could be “game changers,” Raina said.

He hopes a panel discussion on April 26 — that includes international experts from Harvard, University of Manchester, and IBM, talking about smart cities — will spark a discussion about how Hamilton can use technology to connect people for a healthier lifestyle.

Raina submitted a proposal last week asking that Hamilton be designated a smart city for an aging population.

“If you design cities that meet the needs for older people, it will also work for all people,” he said.

He hopes the panel on Thursday will kick-start a dialogue. The event is open to the general public and Raina said they want community members to be part of the discussion.

On Friday the second event, a seminar by geneticist Tom Kirkwood, will focus on why people are living longer. It’s also open to the general public.