Age-Friendly Resources

For a listing of services in Niagara that support older adults, visit Older Adult Infolink, powered by 211.

Age-Friendly E-Newsletter

The Age-Friendly Niagara Council (AFNC) shares information that highlights age-friendly action, events, resources and news stories. To receive this communication, subscribe to our mailing list.

Additional Age-Friendly Resources

Niagara-Focused Resources – located on the Niagara Knowledge Exchange (NKE):

• Empowering Older Adults in Niagara Survey Results (2022)
• Community Study Report: Civic Engagement to Build Sustainable Local Capacity: Perspectives of Age-Friendly Community Volunteers in the Niagara Region
• Age-Friendly Niagara Candidate Brief – 2022 Municipal Election
• Age-Friendly Niagara Provincial Candidate Brief – 2022 Ontario Election
  This 2-page brief was prepared to inform all candidates in Niagara who are running in the 2022 Ontario election about the importance of ensuring our community is responsive to the needs of everyone as we age.
• Older Adult Infolink
  • Webinar Recording – Age-Friendly Niagara Council Update & Launch of Older Adult Infolink – December 9, 2021
  • Webinar Slide Deck
  • Older Adult Infolink Frequently Asked Questions and Video Tour
• Addressing COVID-19 Impacts on Niagara’s Older Adults
  This two-page bulletin provides a call to action to address COVID-19 impacts on older adults in Niagara, with a focus on: Staying Well; Staying Safe; and Staying Connected.
• Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan Implementation Project (2017-2019) Evaluation Highlights
  This two-page document summarizes progress toward, and future opportunities for, implementing the Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan (NASAP). Final evaluation findings for the 2017-2019 NASAP Implementation Project are shared by the Age-Friendly Niagara Network (AFNN).
• Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan Implementation Project (2017-2019) Full Evaluation Report
  This October, 2019 report outlines Age-Friendly Niagara Network (AFNN) action steps to begin implementing the Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan (NASAP, 2015). Action Groups advanced strategies for:
  • Community Engagement and Communication;
  • Recreation, Learning and Leisure; and
  • Improved Services, Systems and Infrastructure.
• Age-Friendly Niagara Network: Implementing the Niagara Aging Strategy & Action Plan (NASAP) Focused Action Priorities (2018-2019)This two-page roadmap describes the governance structure of the Age-Friendly Niagara Network, as well as the 2018-2019 focused action priorities across three Action Groups of the AFNN:
  1. Community Engagement and Communications
  2. Recreation, Learning and Leisure
  3. Improved Services, Systems and Infrastructure

• Federal Candidate Brief Prepared by the Age-Friendly Niagara Network
  Targeted to candidates running in Niagara ridings for the October 2019 Federal Election, this two-page brief outlines the contributions older adults make to our community, the ways in which Niagara has already made progress towards becoming age-friendly, and what federal candidates can do to help champion this work.

• Age-Friendly Niagara Initiative: Roundtable Conversation Highlights
  This document profiles common themes for actions that emerged from the 2012 Niagara-wide roundtable conversations.
• Age-Friendly Niagara Initiative Year 3 Final Evaluation Report
  This document provides an overview and impact of age-friendly activities from 2010 to 2013.
• Through an Age-Friendly Lens: Planning for an Inclusive and Economically Vibrant Niagara – Event Recording
  This is a recording of the November 7, 2013 webinar with presenters Paula Gardner & Dominic Ventresca. Paula explores principles of age-friendly work and provides global examples. Dominic provides background information on the Age-Friendly Niagara Network and discusses how global concepts are applied within a Niagara context.
• Age-Friendly Niagara: Authors Guide
  This resource describes the criteria and process for submitting articles about work that positively promotes and advances the principles of age-friendly communities.
• Age-Friendly Action in Niagara: Community Articles 2010-2013
  This document contains 61 articles written by volunteers around Ontario’s Niagara region who were engaged in the Age-Friendly Niagara Initiative (2010 to 2013).
• Creating an Age-Friendly Business in Welland/Pelham
  This guide aims to assist local businesses in creating an age-friendly environment.
• Toolkit for Becoming an Age-Friendly Niagara
  Whether you are a Niagara business owner, an employee serving customers, an organization leader or service provider, this ten-page took kit will help to strengthen your work by planning through an Age-Friendly Lens.
• Inquisitive Minds Radio Show: Assessing the Age-Friendliness of St. Catharines’ Downtown Core
  This interview discusses how accessible downtown St. Catharines is for seniors.
• Through Their Eyes: An intergenerational project examining age-friendliness in the Niagara Region
  This project paired 45 students with 20 seniors in Niagara to better understand what makes an age-friendly community.
• Aging Well in Niagara: A Conversation About the Needs of Seniors
  In Fall 2012, Niagara Region asked residents about how it can better support seniors as they age in their homes. Through public forums and surveys, seniors and others shared their thoughts and ideas in several areas.
• Seniors in Niagara: Creating Age-Friendly Communities (2009)
• Growing Niagara: A Closer Look at Niagara’s Aging Population (2017)

Provincial Resources:

• Age-Friendly Communities Planning Outreach Initiative
  This project was established by the Ministry of Seniors Affairs to offer assistance to Ontario communities in the process of age-friendly planning and implementation. It includes the development of partnerships across Ontario that support community-based age-friendly projects, the development and distribution of Age-Friendly Niagara (AFNN) educational resources, and the creation of an AFC knowledge exchange network for Ontario communities. The provincial website (www.agefriendlyontario.ca) provides access to how-to guides, webinar recordings, community profiles and related resources.
• Finding the Right Fit: Age-Friendly Community Planning
  This guide provides a framework for age-friendly planning and implementation. The guide introduces age-friendly principles and provides process for community assessment, action plan development and implementation and measurement.
• Strengthening Age-Friendly Communities and Services for 21st Century Ontario
  This document furthers the dialogue on the municipal role in facilitating age-friendly communities and providing services to seniors. It outlines key issues for municipal governments, including: developing plans, providing community services (such as transportation and housing), providing long-term care, and ensuring services are culturally-appropriate and relevant in northern and rural communities.
• McMaster Optimal Aging Portal
  This McMaster University website helps people find trusted information about optimal aging. The site is a gateway to evidence-based information on optimal aging for older adults, caregivers, clinicians, public health professionals and policy-makers. Evidence Summaries, Web Resource Ratings, Blog Posts and the latest in aging research are provided.

Global Resources:

• Reframing Aging – Empowering Older Adults: CIHR Institute of Aging Strategic Plan 2023-2028
• World Health Organization (WHO) Ageing and Life Course Programme
  WHO compiles evidence-based guidance on age-friendly environments, provides an information platform for sharing of information and experience, and administers the WHO Global network for age-friendly cities and communities.
• Active Ageing: A Policy Framework
  This policy framework written by the World Health Organization is intended to inform discussion and the formulation of action plans that promote healthy and active ageing.
• The Case for Age-Friendly Communities
  This report highlights key benefits of becoming an age-friendly community, in the areas of the economy, social capital, housing, physical infrastructure, and health.
• Global Age-Friendly Cities: A Guide
  This guide describes the converging trends of rapid growth of the population over 60 years of age and of urbanization, outlines the challenge facing cities, and summarizes the research process that led to identifying the core features of an age-friendly city.
• Age-Friendly World
  The WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities was established in 2010 to connect cities, communities and organizations worldwide with the common vision of making their community a great place to grow old in. As a response to global population ageing, it focuses on action at the local level that fosters the full participation of older people in community life and promotes healthy and active ageing. Cities and communities join the Network with a commitment to becoming more age-friendly and to share their experience, achievements and lessons learnt with others. The Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities provides a global platform for information exchange, mutual learning and support.
• International Federation on Ageing
  The IFA is an international non-governmental organization with a membership base comprising government, NGOs, academics, industry, and individuals in 70 countries. The IFA takes on many projects that support their efforts to become the global point of connection for experts working to influence age-related policy. Currently, age-friendly environments is one focus area.