July 2008, Issue 2
Principal Investigator
Verena Menec Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba
Community Lead
Patti Chiappetta Manitoba Seniors & Healthy Aging Secretariat
Co-Investigators
WISER Phase III
The study involving 1015 individuals is now complete and a ‘summary of results’ has been sent out to all those who participated, and is available on the Centre on Aging website. Staff from the Centre on Aging are conducting analysis on the pedometer data collected. Further information on this phase of the study will be posted shortly on the website.
Community Survey
We had an amazing response rate to the survey with 130 of the 198 communities participating. In the survey, mayors and reeves were asked to indicate whether a variety of programs and services are available in their community. Respondents indicated the role of the local municipal government in providing these programs and services. Examples include housing, transportation and congregate meal programs.
Portage la Prairie Implementation Meetings
The Portage advisory group is continuing to meet on a monthly basis to discuss ways to make Portage more age-friendly. The group has formed three sub-committees to examine important issues in Portage identified as housing, transportation and resources. CURA staff are attending these meetings to support and observe the process. Lessons learned from this process will be used to support future communities.
Age Friendly Communities
Louise Hutton, our community liaison, and Mariam Omar, from the Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat, have been visiting various communities in Manitoba to give presentations, meet with community members, and offer assistance in helping communities take initial steps in becoming more age-friendly. Of the ten communities involved in this project, eight have formed advisory committees to begin looking at age-friendly issues.
Judy Chipperfield Psychology John Everitt Geography, Brandon University Bonnie Hallman Environment & Geography Richard Milgrom City Planning Frances Racher School of Health Studies, Brandon University Elizabeth Ready Kinesiology & Recreation Management Alexander Segall Sociology Laura Taylor Social Work
Students
Toni Morris-Oswald Becky Raddatz Sheila Novek Kaeleigh Schroeder
Collaborators
Kimberly Weihs Manitoba Society of Seniors Frances Kuo Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Amanda Macrae Age & Opportunity Inc. Barbara Payne Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba Louise Plouffe Division of Aging & Seniors, Government of Canada Marjorie Wood Creative Retirement Manitoba
PhotoVoice The two Winnipeg PhotoVoice groups have now completed their project and two discussion groups were held at the Good Neighbours Senior Centre. Photos were displayed through a powerpoint presentation, and a large-scale map was created to examine the locations of where the photos were taken.
Partners
Active Living Coalition for Older Adults (ALCOA) Age & Opportunity Centres, Inc. Assiniboine Regional Health Authority Brandon Regional Health Authority Participants in both the Carman and Dauphin PhotoVoice Creative Retirement Manitoba groups have also completed taking their photographs and were Division of Aging & Seniors, Public interviewed to discuss their pictures either in-person (in Carman) Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) or by telephone (Dauphin). Day-long discussion groups were held Federal Superannuates National in each community during the end of June. Transcription of the Association (FSNA) focus groups and analysis of the data will begin this summer. Manitoba Association of Multi-Purpose Seniors Centres (MAMSC) Manitoba Council on Aging Manitoba Seniors & Healthy Aging Secretariat A CURA team meeting was held in May to provide updates on Manitoba Society of Seniors Inc. the various projects, as well as introduce new staff members and NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority students. Richard Milgrom gave a presentation on city planning Rural Development Institute and aging issues. South Eastman Health Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) Winnipeg in motion World Health Organization (WHO)
CURA Team Meeting
National Age-Friendly Meeting
Verena Menec, Mariam Omar and Jim Hamilton attended a national meeting on age-friendliness in Ottawa. This meeting was attended by representatives from the provinces and territories to discuss age-friendly programs across the country. Age-friendly issues are moving forward and gaining interest on a national level.
Summer Conferences There are two international planning conferences being held in Winnipeg this July, which have sessions addressing aging issues in planning contexts. The Canadian Institute of Planners conference “Planning by Design in Community: Making Great Places” will be held July 13th - 16th. The Planners Network conference “Planning in Challenging Climates” will be held July 17th-20th.
Planning Research Richard Milgrom and Becky Raddatz are researching how aging issues are addressed through planning in Winnipeg. Interviews will be conducted with CURA partners and professional planners. Invitations for interviews will be sent out shortly.
Websites
Canadian Institute of Planners Conference http://cip2008.cip-icu.ca/english/ index.htm Planners Network Conference www. plannersnetwork.org/ Centre on Aging www.umanitoba.ca/ centres/aging/ Manitoba Seniors & Healthy Aging Secretariat www.gov.mb.ca/agefriendly/index.html WISER www.umanitoba.ca/centres/ aging/375.htm
Contact Information
Dawn Veselyuk Project Coordinator Phone: 474-6583 Fax: 474-7576
[email protected]
