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Seniors Health and Housing Crossroads - Read about OCSCO's new exciting project.
A province-wide consultation on alternatives to institutional long-term care, and other aging in place initiatives
ROMOANOW COMMISSION SUBMISSION OCSCO's position paper on health care to the commission on the future of health hare in Canada October 17, 2001
The Kirby Report's suggestion of
a two-tier system is a bad idea for Canada's healthcare future
Toronto The Ontario Society (Coalition) of Senior Citizens' Organizations finds a number of dangerous aspects to the report released Friday by Senator William Kirby.
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PROJECT
Seniors Health and Housing Crossroads By Diana Kucharska, Crossroads Project Coordinator OCSCO has a new exciting project on the go. A province-wide consultation on alternatives to institutional
long-term care, and other aging in place initiatives. The project was made possible through a two-year
grant from Health Canada. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation is also involved.
The ten member committee, looking after this project is named 'Seniors Health and Housing Crossroads".
Everyone is excited about our plans to meet with seniors from across the province, to create a network
of partners who can work together to effect positive change. In focus groups and through individual
consultation, Ontario's seniors will share their experiences and insights in order to assist in shaping
policy in areas such as; affordable housing, supportive housing, homecare, and other components of aging
in place.
At the Crossroads Committee's September meeting, researcher Leslie Fell presented models of Aging in Place
from around the world. Crossroads project committee members are interested in supporting a model of a
seniors' community, where one can get their entire medical, social, and community needs met through one
single and comprehensive program. Such models have been successful in San Francisco, Edmonton, New York,
and around the world.
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Our community friends and partners have been very encouraging and supportive of our vision to help shape
social policy so that it serves the diverse needs of all seniors. We've had some good meetings with people
like Jan Robinson, a researcher who did a study of retirement issues in 2001, and researched supportive housing.
Fern Teplitsky, the Toronto District Health Council's Senior Health Planner, heard that I sprained my ankle
and kindly came to the OCSCO office for a consultation. Michael Rachlis, who has published two books on the
health care system in Canada, and is a supporter of the PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly),
shared his home office for our consultation. While the two of us sat on his porch in the morning sun, Michael
emphasized the need for the creation of more affordable housing as a key component for creating health for seniors.
University of Toronto's associate professor, Paul Williams, who studies health policy, long-term care and community
health services also gave us his input, stressing the importance of housing to seniors' health.
Carol Greenleaf, and Andrea Bignetti from the Older Women's Network also gave their time in reviewing the project,
and sharing their input and information. A consultation with Janet Esquimaux of Wigwamen Terrace housing and Ruth Cyr,
of the Aboriginal Circle of Life Program, revealed one of the city's finest supportive housing programs,
where aboriginal elders receive a variety of programs and services, as well as very important cultural and spiritual support.
Jim McMinn, of LOFT Community Services, spent an entire day with me as we visited three of LOFT's 41 programs.
LOFT has done an amazing job of providing supportive housing to low-income people and pays special attention to
the needs of seniors.
In Toronto we have some innovative programs that have many components of successful aging in place initiatives,
and supportive housing. Yet these programs exist, but only in a very skeletal form, with bare bones funding.
One goal of the project is to look at how we can flesh out these important programs and make them comprehensive,
and have them supported in clear policies.
The upcoming two years will be filled with new ideas and new questions. We hope all of you will be involved and
will provide your input.
A large forum where all interested people can meet to share information, strategies and visions regarding seniors
health and housing is scheduled for January 2004. We're all looking forward to the outcome of this
province-wide consultation!
Visit the Health and Health and Housing Web Site
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