PROJECT SUMMARY

ONTARIO SENIORS' PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC POLICY -- TOWARDS DEVELOPING A WORKING LONG TERM CARE MODEL

1. Target Population:
   Seniors in 10 centres across Ontario who will be involved in a consultation process exploring alternatives to institutional long term care in areas where housing and health intersect, like supportive housing and other aging in place initiatives.

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2. Needs of Target Population:
   Ontario seniors need public consultations on housing and health areas that impact directly on their way of life. Results of these consultations will inform the public policies of Health Canada and CMHC.

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3. Project Objectives:
   • To increase the participation of seniors in the consultation process on alternatives to institutional care.
   • To increase collaborations among seniors' organizations in Ontario who seek alternatives to institutional health care
   • To increase seniors' knowledge about housing and health care.
   • To increase seniors' capacity to become familiar with current research and programs on health and housing.
   • To increase media and public awareness of seniors' housing and health issues.
   • To increase seniors' sense of empowerment from participation in the development of potential new housing and health policies
   • To impact on policy development in the areas of housing and health.

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4. Key Activities
   • Conduct a literature review of recent research and programs in the area of alternatives to institutional long term care.
   • Consult key people in the government, research and communities in health and housing.
   • Hold 10 public consultations in 10 cities with seniors all over Ontario.
   • Create a network of people across Ontario (through the e-mail list, fax list and the website) receiving and feeding in information.
   • Develop a website as a communication vehicle for this project.
   • Hold a forum for participants on these topics.
   • Present a final report which will assist Health Canada and CMHC with their policy development.

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5. Partners:
   OCSCO's members consist of 130 seniors' organizations across the province. We have worked on many common projects with them in the past. We would work with 10 partners in the 10 different cities the consultations will be held in: Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, Windsor, Thunder Bay, Kenora, Sault Ste. Marie.

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6. Project Results/Outcomes
   • 10 focus groups in cities across Ontario
   • At least 100 seniors participating in these focus groups
   • A network of at least 10 seniors' organizations actively engaged as partners in this consultation process
   • Outreach to all the partners' networks on progress of this project
   • Increased media and public awareness on seniors' health/housing issues
   • Development of a website and extensive background information on health/housing issues
   • Increase in Ontario seniors' knowledge and sense of empowerment on these issues
   • Forum on the issues raised by the consultations
   • Final Report on results of the process
   • An evaluation of the project which will be useful for future initiatives
   • Increase senior participation in the policy process of Health Canada and CMHC



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