Priorities for BC Seniors – Moving Forward, April 29

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Eddy Elmer

isobel-mackenzieThe Tapestry Foundation for Healthcare will be hosting a forum with the BC Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie.

Vancouver Convention Centre East
Doors open: 5:30 pm; presentation begins: 7:00pm
Enjoy a refreshment and browse through display booths.

Since the Office of the BC Seniors Advocate was formed in 2014, Isobel Mackenzie has met with and heard from thousands of seniors in every corner of the British Columbia.  The Office of the Seniors Advocate, the first in Canada, is helping to raise awareness of many different issues facing today’s seniors’ in BC. The Seniors Advocate produces evidence-based reports that recommend to government and service providers’ systems improvements to better support the province’s seniors population.

To register for this and other aging-related public lectures, visit http://tapestryfoundation.ca/spring-2016-public-presentation-series

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Seniors’ Multicultural Festival, April 21

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Eddy Elmer

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St. Paul’s Hospital Community Forums

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Eddy Elmer

St Paul's future

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Elders Empowering Elders with Technology

Posted on January 2, 2016 by Eddy Elmer

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South Granville Seniors’ Centre Holly Bazaar

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

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Financial Planning Event for Older LGBTQ Adults

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

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Free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/financial-planning-for-lgbtq-seniors-tickets-19216960446

 

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BC211: Helping you Navigate the Maze of Social Services

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

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eHITS Public Forum, November 19

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

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International Day of Older Persons

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

SAC member Angie Natingor raising the flag for International Day of Older Persons with members of CARP and Councillors Tim Stevenson, Elizabeth Ball, and Melissa DeGenova.

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All-Candidates Debate on Seniors’ Issues

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

We were thrilled to host a debate on seniors’ issues with the four federal candidates for Vancouver Centre. There was an excellent turnout and audience members asked some pretty tough questions.

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National Seniors Day 2015

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

We were very pleased to co-host a National Seniors’ Day event with the Vancouver Public Library. We enjoyed connecting with senior-serving agencies and hearing from older adults in the community!

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Burrard Bridge Suicide Barriers

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

SAC member Eddy Elmer recently provided staff with his comments related to the effectiveness of suicide barriers, such as those proposed for the Burrard Bridge. In his report, he underscores the fact that although barriers reduce jumping at the bridges where they are installed, no study has yet shown that such barriers lead to a statistically significant reduction in the overall suicide rate in the region in which they are installed. He also discusses the mental health benefits of preserving the pedestrian experience of the bridge, and why less intrusive means prevention methods (e.g., fencing) may be more suitable options.

His report is available here.

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First Meeting of New Term: Friday, March 20

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

The first meeting of the Committee’s new term is Friday, March 20, 9:30am, Committee Room #1, Third Floor, Vancouver City Hall. New members are asked to check their email for an information package and agenda from the City Clerk. They are also encouraged to peruse this website (especially the meeting minutes) to get a sense of the accomplishments from last term, as well as suggested courses of action for the new term. Finally, they should review the following two documents:

  • the Procedure Bylaw, which regulates the procedures of Council and its committees and other bodies
  • the Code of Conduct Policy sets minimum expectations for the behaviour of Council officials, staff, and advisory body members in carrying out their functions

Congratulations on those who have been appointed and welcome to the Committee!

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End-of-Term Report

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Eddy Elmer

The Committee’s report of activities for the 2012-14 term is now available. Subcommittee reports are in Appendices B-D. Slides from our presentation at the December 1 Council of Councils meeting are here.

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B.C. Seniors’ Advocate: Applications for Council of Advisers

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Eddy Elmer

BC_LogoThe Office of the B.C. Seniors Advocate—the first of its kind in Canada—is looking for older adults to join its Council of Advisers. See below for more information.

The council will provide the Office with advice and feedback on the issues facing seniors living in British Columbia. The purpose of the volunteer council is to provide the perspective of seniors from diverse backgrounds, ages, geographical areas and cultures.

Please visit the Council website if you are interested in applying. The deadline for applications is December 4, 2014.

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Insufficient Advance Polling Stations for Seniors

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Eddy Elmer

ballot_boxOne of our committee’s mandates is to identify gaps and barriers that impede the full participation of older adults in all aspects of City life.

Full participation includes the ability of all residents to vote in the November 15 civic election, but we have heard from many residents that a significant barrier is posed by the absence of advance polling stations in the northeast quadrant of the City. This quadrant includes the Grandview-Woodland, Downtown Eastside, and Renfrew areas, all of which have a sizable population of older adults, especially those with low incomes.

The community centres that have been designated as advance polling stations for November 4-12 are a significant distance from these areas, presenting a possible obstacle for older adults who cannot vote on November 15. This is of particular concern for older adults with physical disabilities and/or those who must rely on public transit.

We relayed these concerns in a letter sent to the Election Office. In response, the Chief Election Officer, Janice MacKenzie, has issued the following statement: Continue reading →

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Great Turnout at Our National Seniors Day Fair

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Eddy Elmer

We had a great turnout at the first-ever National Seniors Day Fair that we held at the Vancouver Public Library! Come join us next October 1st for more networking opportunities, lectures, seminars, live music, library tours, and prize draws!

Photos by Eddy Elmer

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Join us October 1 for National Seniors Day at the Vancouver Public Library

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Eddy Elmer

seniors_day_VPL_2014Wednesday, October 1 is National Seniors Day in Canada—an occasion for all Canadians to pay tribute to the older adults who have helped build our country and who continue to make valuable contributions to Canadian communities, workplaces, and society.

To celebrate this day, the Vancouver Public Library has partnered with the Seniors Advisory Committee to host an all-day seniors fair at the library’s Central Branch (350 West Georgia) from 11am-4pm.

Come and explore topics that impact older adults such as health, housing, and social issues.

Scheduled Events (Room Information at Main Entrance)

11:00am: Aboriginal welcome ceremony; greetings from the Seniors Advisory Committee and Vancouver Public Library

11:30am: “Laughter for Long Life” readings; presentation and demo by Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre on the online Personal Planning Registry—a digital storage box for personal planning information and documents (e.g., representation agreements, powers of attorney, memorial arrangements)

12:30pm:  Greetings from Councillor Tony Tang on behalf of the City of Vancouver; lecture on elder abuse by Dr. Gloria Gutman, gerontologist and Professor Emerita in the Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University

1:00pm: Chair yoga session by Annette Wertman

2:00pm: Screening of Gen Silent, a documentary about the challenges faced by LGBT older adults, followed by discussion

3:30pm: Lecture by Eddy Elmer, gerontologist: “The Paradox of Loneliness;” “Laughter for Long Life” readings

Events Throughout the Day

Drop by the Seniors Advisory Committee table and talk to us about issues you think are important to older adults in this city.

This is a free event and no registration is required.

Please spread the word by sharing this link or printing and distributing this poster.

Contact us for more information or to reserve a free table for your agency.

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Motion Regarding Improvements to Street Lighting

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Eddy Elmer

street_lamp_postThe SAC is pleased that our Committee liaison, Councillor Tony Tang, will be presenting a motion regarding improvements to street lighting at next week’s Council meeting. This motion is adapted from the Committee’s earlier motion, which we passed last year with support from the Women’s and LGBTQ Advisory Committees.

This latest motion acknowledges that a balance must be struck between improving street lighting in areas where it is deficient as well as minimizing the potential for over-lighting and glare.

Those who wish to speak to the motion are asked to contact Laura Kazakoff, Meeting Coordinator, at 604.871.6353 (email: laura.kazakoff@vancouver.ca) or Nicole Ludwig, Meeting Coordinator at 604.873.7191 (email: nicole.ludwig@vancouver.ca) by noon Monday.

In the media:
– 24 Hours Vancouver: Vancouver streetlights need a closer look: seniors group

Updates: The motion was unanimously passed by Council on September 17. At that time, Engineering staff also informed us that they have changed their policy regarding response times for replacing non-functioning lights. The new policy is that lights will be replaced within an average of 7 days, down from 21 days. The Committee thanks staff for this important change and believes that it will improve safety for all citizens.

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Vancouver Earns Designation as an Age-Friendly Community

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Eddy Elmer

Age-Friendly CommunityThe Committee is pleased to announce that we were successful in our application to have Vancouver designated as an Age-Friendly Community by the Province of British Columbia.

Cities achieve this designation after establishing an advisory committee, securing a local government resolution, conducting a needs assessment, and developing an action plan for aging.

This designation links Vancouver to a broader national and international network of age-friendly communities, initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) Age-Friendly Cities, and Canadian Rural and Remote Age-Friendly Communities processes which began in 2007.

As Chris Morrissey, SAC chair, says, “Older adults play an important role in our city, bringing wisdom, experience, and valuable perspectives to our lives. It is encouraging that the City of Vancouver has been recognized by the Province of British Columbia as an Age-Friendly Community. This commits the City to an action plan with specific goals to help make Vancouver a safer, more inclusive, and engaging place for older adults. The City of Vancouver Seniors Advisory Committee will continue to help give a voice to older adults in Vancouver to further these goals.”

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