City of Hamilton celebrates Seniors Month in June and beyond
HAMILTON, ON – June 1st marks the beginning of Seniors Month, and the City of Hamilton is celebrating by highlighting some unique programs and opportunities available to support, engage and recognize local seniors.
The City of Hamilton has an award-winning Age-Friendly Plan that helps to identify and address the needs and priorities of our seniors demographic. This plan is organized around seven goals with 25 objectives and 101 actions. The City, Hamilton Council on Aging and the Seniors Advisory Committee will work towards these goals through to 2019. As the number of older adults and seniors in Hamilton is expected to double over the next two decades, this Plan looks to improve access to essential supports, programs and services, as well as enhance opportunities for seniors to have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
Supporting goal six of the Age-Friendly Plan - civic engagement, volunteerism and employment - the City is hosting the Senior of the Year awards and gala on June 12th. This event honours seniors in our community who have spent countless hours, and in some cases decades, volunteering their time and talent to improve the lives of residents in our community.
To further its support of vulnerable seniors, Hamilton Paramedic Service has implemented a community paramedicine program with the goal of reducing unnecessary hospital admissions. This plan includes in-home visits and initial treatments, establishing ongoing care plans and making linkages and referrals with appropriate service providers.
Hamilton Police Services is also celebrating Seniors Month with a focus on the identification and prevention of Elder Abuse.
“Along with the support of many partner agencies, the City of Hamilton continues to work towards its revised Vision of being the best place to raise a child and age successfully. Highlighting our City’s commitment to creating an age-friendly community that benefits us all, the province recently recognized Hamilton as an Age-Friendly Community and the World Health Organization accepted Hamilton as a member of their Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. The City’s award-winning Age-Friendly Plan is a result of key partnerships between the City, the Hamilton Council on Aging and the Seniors Advisory Committee. With this continued spirit of collaboration, Hamilton will remain on its path to being an inclusive, safe and healthy place for seniors to call home.” - Mayor Fred Eisenberger
Quick facts
- The Age Friendly Hamilton 2017 Community Progress Report outlines the achievements of key objectives made to date with 39 actions completed, 51 in the planning or implementation stages, and the remaining 11 pending completion by 2019.
- Hamilton’s award-winning Age-Friendly Plan aligns with the City’s 10-year Strategic Plan, with two priorities especially – Healthy & Safe Communities and Community Engagement & Participation.
- The Senior of the Year Awards and Gala event is June 12th at Michelangelo’s Banquet Centre at 5pm. Tickets can be purchased at Sackville Hill Seniors Centre and at all municipal service centres. Contact Lisa Maychak 905-546-2424 ext. 1721 or [email protected].
- Hamilton Paramedic Services Remote Patient Monitoring Program has seen some early success with a 31% reduction to 911 calls, 32% reduction in hospital admissions and a 35% reduction in readmissions. Although these numbers are not all attributed to our senior population, it does speak to the importance of preventative healthcare especially for Hamilton’s most vulnerable and isolated populations.
- Join Hamilton Police Services at Hamilton Police Station 30, 400 Rymal Rd E, from 10 am to 12 noon on June 15, 2018 for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day activities and information. Contact Constable Kimberly Kikas 905-546-8917.
- The City of Hamilton’s Recreation Division provides numerous opportunities for seniors aged 55+ to enhance their physical and mental health through specific recreational programming at local recreation centres, Sackville Hill Seniors Centre and the Ancaster Seniors Achievement Centre.
- The City of Hamilton prides itself on providing two accredited and recently renovated long-term care facilities to support Hamilton seniors who can no longer live independently. Macassa Lodge on Hamilton Mountain has 270 beds and Wentworth Lodge in Dundas has 160 beds.
Additional resources
- www.hamilton.ca/seniors
- www.hamilton.ca/city-initiatives/strategies-actions/age-friendly-hamilton
- www.hamilton.ca/city-initiatives/priority-projects/2016-2025-strategic-plan
- www.hamilton.ca/city-awards/senior-year-awards
- www.hamilton.ca/emergency-services/paramedics/medical-emergency-informat...
- https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/prevention/crime-prevention-seniors/communi...
- https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/about/events/2018-06/29446
- www.hamilton.ca/parks-recreation/recreation/55-programming
- www.hamilton.ca/social-services/long-term-care
- www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-seniors-affairs