Supporting Seniors: Navigating Forward Together

Happy Seniors Month! As June comes to a close, I believe it is crucial to pause and reflect on the significance of Seniors Month, especially given my valued experience with the Paramedic and Seniors Services branch and my current role as Acting Commissioner of Community and Health Services at York Region (The Regional Municipality of York) .

Working for Seniors

Seniors shape York Region and the very communities we live in and call home.

This year’s theme “Working for Seniors” offers an opportunity to recognize the hard work seniors have done to make our communities the great places they are today and honour the many ways they continue to enrich our communities.

When reflecting on this theme, yes, it is important to celebrate all seniors have done for us, however I would also argue that of more importance is the preparation required to support the rapidly growing and changing needs of this population group.

Supporting Seniors: A Critical Foundational Piece for a Strong, Caring, Safe Community

There are now more seniors than children in York Region and over the next 30 years, the senior population in York Region will more than double and the 75+ population will triple. Seniors may be our parents, or grandparents, but also trusted friends, neighbours, coworkers, volunteers, mentors, caregivers, taxpayers, employers and role models. Really the list goes on.

While many seniors are healthy, active and connected to their communities, over time some will need additional supports and services across the broader health and social care continuum. Contributing to helping seniors age in the right place based on their preferences, circumstances and care needs is critical.

Over the next 30 years, the senior population in York Region will more than double and the 75+ population will triple.

In support of this, York Regional Council approved the 2024 to 2027 York Region Plan to Support Seniors: Navigating Forward Together, which builds on the successes of the 2016 York Region Seniors Strategy and sets a path for current and future seniors and caregivers to remain active in their community throughout their aging journey – living their lives to the fullest with independence, health and dignity.

The Plan outlines priority areas, objectives and related actions and advocacy the Region will take to support the needs of its growing and diverse senior population.

Regional Programs and Services for Seniors

One aspect of the Plan focuses on Regional services where we have responsibility to act, such as:

• Operating two long-term care homes
• Delivering five adult day programs to help people avoid entering long-term care early while giving caregiver support
• Providing alternative care options for seniors on the long-term care waitlist through the Community Paramedicine program, minimizing waitlist growth and duration
• Administering the Ontario Seniors Dental Program to provide services to eligible seniors
• Providing community housing and social work supports to seniors

I have had the most humbling and rewarding experience working with dedicated and compassionate teams supporting these services. Thank you for your commitment and dedication and for enriching my own growth and understanding of the increasing need to support seniors in York Region.

A full list of Regional programs and services for seniors is available and I encourage you to bookmark this helpful brochure or call Access York at 1-877-464-9675 for more information.

Understanding the Landscape and Advocating for Seniors

The landscape of programs and services supporting seniors is complex. While the Region offers its own important programs, the majority of health and community services supporting seniors are delivered by other organizations and levels of government.

As a result, this Plan takes into consideration that where the Region does not have responsibility, we advocate for others with decision-making authority to act to support seniors across a broad continuum of health and social care.

I am proud of the influential role the Region plays in advocating for the needs of seniors to other levels of government who have decision-making authority or responsibility to act.

Seniors consistently report they prefer to age in their own homes or the community of their choice for as long as possible and many can do so safely with appropriate support services in place. In fact, 97% of York Region seniors live in a community setting. This is one reason why I am proud of the influential role the Region plays in advocating for the needs of seniors to other levels of government who have decision-making authority or responsibility to act.

Seniors and caregivers regularly identify system navigation as a challenge as there are multiple players and access points to get the services they need.

COVID-19 spotlighted longstanding issues and the need for systemic reform in the long-term care sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic also spotlighted longstanding issues and the need for systemic reform in the long-term care sector. The pandemic also highlighted:

• Long-term care homes are one component in the broader health and social continuum care for seniors. Partnerships are needed between all levels of government and community organizations to provide a diverse range and intensity of supports throughout the aging journey
• Significant investments are needed to address the severe health human resource shortages across the entire system supporting seniors
• A digital divide experienced by seniors and the need for access to technology and capacity building to stay connected to others through virtual platforms, programs and online supports

In addition to our direct experience supporting seniors, our engagements with seniors, pre-seniors and staff supporting seniors during the pandemic also emphasized the need to incorporate equity-based approaches in the design of programs, including those experiencing low-income, language barriers and other vulnerabilities.

With gaps and silos in the current system affecting the health of seniors and their well-being, the Region cannot do this work alone. The Plan’s advocacy agenda identifies promising practices and areas of need requiring urgent attention and further investment from provincial and federal governments to advance senior health and well-being and identifies five priorities:

1. Mandating prevention-focused annual in-home or supported virtual visits with a health professional to proactively connect seniors 75+ to needed information, health services and community supports
2. Policy planning and funding across the senior continuum of health and social care that leverages innovative evidence-based approaches to enable seniors to age in the right place for their own needs, circumstances and preferences
3. Sustainable funding for preventative and responsive Community Paramedicine programs that have proven to assist vulnerable seniors in their homes and reduce avoidable 911 calls
4. Investments to sustain, scale and spread programs and supports that enhance seniors’ access to technology and reduce the digital divide
5. Establishment of a provincial service system manager or other form of coordinating body to coordinate and align improvements across multiple ministries, sectors and stakeholders supporting seniors

I am encouraged by efforts to apply a “systems lens” in addressing the needs of seniors as evidenced by the cross-appointment of a provincial Deputy Minister for two Ministries (Long-Term Care and Seniors and Accessibility) and efforts by Ontario Health to apply a seniors continuum in planning.

Our current partnerships and collaborations across community partners and levels of government provide hope these items will gain serious traction.

We All Hold a Piece of the Puzzle

Due to the nature of our work, partnering with community stakeholders to help address and advance supports and enhance health and well-being of our growing and diverse senior population is of the upmost importance.

Thankfully, collaboration across several partners and organizations is already taking place.

I thank all partnering community stakeholders, including local municipalities and Ontario Health Teams, for your commitment to supporting seniors.

I referenced reducing the digital divide and one partnership example dear to my heart is York Region and United Way Greater Toronto co-chairing the Seniors Cluster Table.

This table formed during the pandemic to bring together senior-serving organizations across the Region to address immediate needs of vulnerable seniors and caregivers. An example of our work was a collaborative funding application involving table members, the Technology Assistance Support for Seniors project has successfully provided hundreds of seniors with easy-to-use tablets and access to a technology support helpline. The table continues to meet regularly and is actively supporting the implementation of the Plan to Support Seniors.

Congratulations to all involved! This is an excellent example of the power of partnership.

Navigating Forward Together

With Seniors Month coming to an end, may we honour and support our seniors not just in June, but every day.

I thank all seniors for making our community the great place it is today.

To my colleagues and connections, let us pledge our commitment to honouring and supporting the seniors in our lives and may the work we do create a community where seniors are valued, respected and empowered to live their best lives.

Visit york.ca/planforseniors to learn more about the Plan to Support Seniors and to receive updates in your inbox.

Learn more about programs and services for York Region seniors at york.ca/planforseniors or by calling Access York at 1-877-464-9675.

Interested in a career in public service at York Region? Visit york.ca/careers to learn how you can be part of an award-winning team of public service champions.