Report to/Rapport au:
Community and
Protective Services Committee
Comité des services communautaires et de protection
August 11, 2011
/ le 11 août 2011
Submitted by/Soumis
par:
Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager / Directeur
municipal adjoint
City Operations / Opérations municipales
Contact Person/Personne-ressource
Donna Gray,
Director/directrice
Organizational Development and
Performance/Services du développement et du rendement organisationnels, 613‑580‑2424,
ext./poste 25684
SUBJECT:
|
OLDER ADULT PLAN – UPDATE AND NEXT STEPS
|
|
|
|
OBJET :
|
PLAN RELATIF AUX PERSONNES ÂGÉES – MISE À JOUR ET PROCHAINES ÉTAPES |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION:
That the Community and Protective Services Committee
receive this report for information.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services communautaires et de protection reçoive le
présent rapport à titre d’information.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Older adults represent a vibrant
and vital segment of the Ottawa population.
In the next 20 years, the seniors’ population (65 and over) is expected to
more than double, a fact which calls for a proactive response to adapt infrastructure, programs and services to the
needs of this expanding group of residents.
On
October 14, 2009, Ottawa City Council approved a motion from the Community and
Protective Services Committee, originally submitted by the Seniors Advisory
Committee, to create a comprehensive and forward-looking Older Adult Plan for
the City of Ottawa. The initial project
scope identified three major phases: 1) Background research; 2) Consultations
with Ottawa older adults; and 3) Development of an action plan.
Work on Phase I of the project (background research) has been completed. A full discussion of the research findings is presented in the attached report Background Research: Setting the Stage (Document 1). In addition, two secondary reference reports provide detailed data on the demographic make-up of the Ottawa older adult population as well as City of Ottawa programs and services for older adults (Documents 1 and 2). In summary, the research phase allowed for an enhanced understanding of the current - as well as future - characteristics and trends pertaining to the older population in Ottawa and what it means for the City of Ottawa, the identification of organizational and service delivery strengths as well as potential gaps, and what might constitute opportunities moving forward. In essence, the project’s research phase set the stage for the development of an action plan (anchored within a corporate-wide strategy) with recommendations aimed at enhancing service delivery for this population now and into the future.
The City of Ottawa is now poised to move to proceed as follows:
1) Mayor’s Seniors Summit (October 3, 2011) that will affirm the City of Ottawa’s commitment to the older adult population and provide a forum for seniors and City of Ottawa elected officials/staff to begin a discussion on service improvements in key areas;
2) Joint consultations with Age Friendly Ottawa (October to December 2011) to identify specific issues, needs and suggested ideas for improvements in key service areas;
3) Development of an older adult action plan (Q2 2012) of concrete and prioritized actions (short, medium and long term) aimed at positively supporting this population now and in the future.
BACKGROUND
Older adults represent a vibrant and vital segment of the Ottawa population. Most older adults experience a high quality of life and are active and integral members of our community. With a lifetime of work, earnings and savings, their taxes and purchasing power strengthen every aspect of the Ottawa economy. They are the largest group of contributors of unpaid help to families and friends, volunteer groups and social causes. The depth and breadth of the experiences they share and the contribution they make through civic engagement and community participation underscore the fundamental role that they play in Ottawa’s community.
In the next 20
years, the city of Ottawa will experience an unprecedented demographic shift
whereby the seniors’ population (65 and over) will more than double. By 2031, more than one in five Ottawa
residents will be over 65 years old. There is no question that an aging
population will require a proactive
response from the City of Ottawa to adapt infrastructure, programs and services
to the needs of this expanding group of residents.
Older Adult Plan
project[1]
On
October 14, 2009, Ottawa City Council approved a motion from the Community and Protective
Services Committee, originally submitted by the Seniors Advisory Committee, to
create a comprehensive and forward-looking older adult plan for the City of
Ottawa:
1. That
the Organization Development and Performance (ODP) Department work with the
Seniors Advisory Committee, City Departments and Community Partners to refine
and refresh a Seniors Strategy and action plan development;
2. That
the investigation done to refine and refresh a Seniors
Strategy include income data to compare the seniors data with that of
other age groups;
3. That ODP include any requirement for
external consulting services in its 2010 budget estimates; and,
4. That the review also consider the first
recommendation from the Seniors Advisory Committee to undertake a formal initiative to develop a comprehensive Ottawa Older
Adult Plan to include service delivery, organization and management,
partnerships with agencies and governments, volunteer support, financial
incentives and subsidies, and accessibility among other issues.
The ultimate goal of the Older Adult Plan project is the development of an action plan of concrete and actionable recommendations that will address the needs of current and future older adults living in Ottawa. The approved initial project scope identified three major phases (ACS2010-COS-ODP-0010 Older Adult Plan – Scope and Work Plan):
Phase I: Research and Planning (completed)
Phase II: Engagement and consultation
Phase III: Strategy Identification and Endorsement
DISCUSSION
At this time, the research phase has been completed (Phase I). The scope of the research was purposefully
broad in an effort to gather as much information as possible about the Ottawa
older adult population and the manner in which this population is being served
by the City of Ottawa and other community players. The overarching goal was to identify
strengths and opportunities in service delivery for existing as well as future
older adults, taking into consideration the broader community context as well
as best practices.
Several key activities were conducted including: a review of the literature and of practices
of other municipalities engaged in planning for older adults; a detailed
analysis of demographic and socio-economic characteristics of Ottawa older
adults (including population projections); a review of City of Ottawa policies,
strategies, priorities, programs, and services affecting older adults; consultations with about 100 City employees
from departments that typically serve large segments of the older adult
population; and a review of services, initiatives, and priorities of funders,
community organizations and networks that serve this population.
The research phase generated a large amount of information, with the
most salient findings presented in the attached document Background Research: Setting the Stage (Document 1).[2] This document summarizes the major
demographic facts and trends that characterize the Ottawa older adult
population and provides a global picture of how the City of Ottawa is currently
serving this population. The report then
discusses a number of key themes based on the analysis of findings, taking into
consideration the broader community context.
Finally, the last section of the report makes the link between the
research phase (and findings) and the upcoming consultation and action plan
development phases of the project. The
report Background Research: Setting the
Stage acts as a foundational document that will, in essence, guide the
focus of the following phases of the project.
Two secondary reference documents were also generated
during the research phase and are also attached (Documents 2 and 3). The first, A Portrait of Ottawa Older Adults: Demographic and Socio-Economic
Characteristics, presents detailed information about the older adult
population (45+) including: population counts (past, current and projected to 2031), gender
and marital status, geographic distribution, living arrangements, house tenure,
employment and financial security, diversity, health status and mobility, and
engagement in community life. Several indicators are broken down at the level
of the municipal ward. The appendix
section also presents detailed data for sub-groups of the
older adult population (francophone and immigrant older adults as well as older
adults living alone, on low income, with disabilities, or in rural areas).
The other reference document Inventory of Programs and Services for Older
Adults summarizes all programs and services provided by the City of Ottawa
that target or are relevant to older adults.
The information is presented according to age-friendly service areas
(rather than by departments), facilitating the identification of service gaps
and opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration/integration around
common service goals. This inventory
represents a living document that will be updated on a regular basis.
In
summary, the research phase allowed for an enhanced understanding of the current
- as well as future - characteristics and trends pertaining to the older
population in Ottawa and what the implications might be for the City of
Ottawa. The analysis suggested several corporate-wide and departmental opportunities to
improve service delivery to existing older adults in the immediate and
short-term, while underscoring the necessity of preparing and planning for the
pressures and opportunities stemming from population aging (longer-term
outlook). The fact that the City’s
commitment towards older adults cuts across numerous departments and is linked
with the broader community, provides rationale for anchoring a future action
plan within the context of a comprehensive corporate strategy, itself linked to
Council’s strategic priorities.
Moving forward with
the Older Adult Plan project
The City of Ottawa is now poised to move forward with next steps of the Older Adult Plan project which include the Mayor’s Seniors Summit, public consultations, and the development of an older adult strategy and action plan for the City of Ottawa.
1.
Mayor’s
Seniors Summit
City of
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson made a commitment to holding a Seniors Summit within
one year of his election. During the
election campaign, then Mayoral Candidate Watson said that the summit would “bring together seniors, the province, Ottawa
Community Housing Corporation and other organizations and initiatives to
discuss challenges facing Ottawa’s 65-and-up community.”[3]
The Seniors Summit is planned for Monday, October
3, 2011 at City Hall. The purpose
of the Seniors Summit will be to provide a forum for seniors and City of Ottawa
elected officials/staff to discuss issues and practical solutions around key
themes of importance to seniors. Objectives include:
1. Launch the City of Ottawa Older Adult Plan project;
2. Commit the city Ottawa as a member of the Global Network of Age Friendly Cities;[4]
3. Validate an older adult vision statement
4. Discuss issues of importance to seniors and identify suggestions for action.
The
one day event will feature the following components: a question and answer
period with the Mayor, small group discussions around issues of importance to
seniors, keynote speakers, and a resource fair of City programs and services
for seniors.
2. Joint public
consultations
Following the Seniors Summit, consultations with Ottawa older adults
will be held jointly with the Age Friendly Ottawa initiative. Age Friendly Ottawa is an initiative led by the
Council on Aging that aims
to make Ottawa an ‘age-friendly’ community as defined by the World Health
Organization.[5]
The Age Friendly Initiative and City of Ottawa
Older Adult Plan project are mutually supportive as both initiatives aim to
propose changes
that will enhance active and healthy aging for Ottawa’s older adults. In essence, while the City of Ottawa plan
will deal strictly with the City’s areas of responsibility, the Age Friendly
Ottawa plan targets the entire community.
A collaborative approach makes sense since both initiatives are poised
to begin public consultations at the same time, using a very similar focus
group method based on the work of the World Health Organization. In addition, this approach will maximize
resources and cut down on confusion that separate consultations would create in
the community.
The joint public consultations
are planned for the period between October and December 2011. Consultations will build on input gathered at
the Seniors Summit by covering a wider range of topic areas and participant
groups. The purpose of the consultations
will be to identify issues, needs and suggested ideas for improvements
in eight key service areas (as per the
World Health Organization protocol) including: outdoor spaces and buildings;
transportation; housing; respect and inclusion; social participation;
communication and information; civic participation and employment; and health
and social services. Focus groups will
be facilitated by a third-party and involve Ottawa older adults, caregivers,
service providers, youth, and private organizations. The following older population sub-groups
with unique needs will also be targeted: francophone, Aboriginal,
immigrant, on low income, rural, with disabilities, gay and lesbian, and isolated. A clear methodology will be developed in order to
identify issues and opportunities directly under City of Ottawa responsibility,
in order to strategically inform the development of the older adult plan.
3. Development of the Older Adult Strategy/Action
Plan
The final step involves the
development of a strategy and action plan moving forward. The action plan will
be anchored within a corporate-wide strategy that would articulate a vision,
goals, and priorities, while facilitating collaborative and cooperative
planning and policy development among various departments. The action plan will:
o propose
a series of concrete recommended actions that are prioritized and aligned to a
specific timeline (immediate, short-term, and longer-term).
o include
rationale, projected benefit, estimated cost to implement, proposed lead
department or committee, monitoring indicators (for each recommended action).
This action plan will be fully
informed by and based on the research findings and the input of Ottawa older
adults with the goal of supporting active aging through service enhancements,
while proactively mitigating the impacts of the projected demographic
shifts. The Organizational Development
and Performance Department will create a task-specific and time-limited
steering committee with representatives from the Seniors Advisory Committee,
other community older adults, and City staff.
In addition to the development of the strategy and action plan, the
committee will be called to develop an accountability framework to monitor plan
implementation progress. The action plan
will be presented to Community and Protective Services Committee and Council in
early 2012.
CONCLUSION
Significant
background work has been completed on the Older Adult Plan project. Momentum and excitement have been generated
both internally as well as within the community as a result of the research
activities performed to date. Next steps
include the Mayor’s Seniors Summit (October 3, 2011), joint public
consultations with the Age Friendly Ottawa initiative (between October and
December 2011), and the development of a strategy and action plan. The end product will ensure that the City of
Ottawa can effectively meet the service needs of existing as well as future
older adults in a coordinated and purposeful manner.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
There
are no currently specific rural implications associated with this report.
CONSULTATION
The Seniors Advisory Committee has been provided with regular updates on the project, has been consulted with regard to the contents of this report and has expressed support for the three-step approach that will lead to the development of an older adult strategy/action plan.
The following motion was approved at the August 3rd, 2011 Seniors Advisory Committee meeting:
Be it resolved that the Seniors Advisory
Committee appreciates the considerable research done by staff and fully
supports the “next steps” process for the Ottawa Older Adult Plan.
COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)
Not
applicable as this is a city wide report.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no legal implications related
to this report.
RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
There
are no risk management implications associated with this report.
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
The Seniors Summit and Older Adult Plan is one of the Strategic Initiatives approved as part of the Draft Term of Council Priorities approved by Council at its meeting of July 13, 2011.
TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1: Background Research: Setting the Stage - Issued separately and held on file with the City Clerk
Document 2: Inventory of Programs and Services for Older Adults
Document 3: A Portrait of Ottawa Older Adults: Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics - Issued separately and held on file with the City Clerk
DISPOSITION
Organizational Development and Performance Department to action any direction received as part of consideration of this report.