Continuing to improve crosswalk safety, having more street furniture and washrooms as well as increasing the Delta Seniors Bus service are among the many recommendations outlined in a new Delta Age-Friendly Strategy and Action Plan.
Endorsed by council at its June 24 meeting, the plan, part of the city’s overall Social Action Plan, has been more than two years in the making.
In 2022, the city received funding from the provincial government to conduct an age-friendly needs assessment and action plan. The city subsequently hired a consultant to help develop a plan for residents 65 and older, grounded in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Age-Friendly Cities framework.
Age-friendly communities commit to creating environments and services that support healthy and active aging, social inclusion and enable residents to participate fully in all aspects of community life, no matter their age, a report to council notes.
Among the many goals is offering a variety of social activities and programs to cater to diverse people, taking place at suitable hours, locations and for a low cost to help reduce social isolation, having a range of housing options available in central locations close to transit and facilities frequented by seniors, as well as having transit services and parking to accommodate people of diverse mobility needs to help reduce barriers.
To be an age-friendly city, it is also important to know how to best support all residents, including seniors who are known to be more vulnerable during extreme weather events, among the other goals.
The report notes that a gap analysis was completed following a review of city policies, age-friendly best practices and community engagement results. The report outlines what the city is doing well to contribute to an age-friendly community, but also opportunities for improvement.
“Community outreach completed to inform the Strategy identified that seniors have a strong sense of belonging in Delta; survey respondents spoke about many supports they receive from the City, including Delta’s Seniors Community Support Coordinator, the Seniors Bus Program and in senior centres,” the report adds.
“At the same time, seniors would like to see better access to resources, better coordination between service providers, and programming tailored to seniors to increase their social inclusion and participation (e.g., more public spaces for gathering, more digital literacy and intergenerational programming, supports for culturally-diverse seniors, and more ‘senior-friendly’ promotion of services).”
