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Each of these areas has either shown evidence of success and could be applied more broadly, or is an area of promise where more work and investigation is required.
Addressing social isolation
For some seniors, social engagement and minimizing marginalization can depend on access to community facilities, transportation and affordable activities, as well as on having meaningful roles in society.12, 177 Seniors who
live in rural and remote areas may be at risk for social isolation because of their physical location. Seniors caring for other seniors can also be at greater risk for isolation due to responsibilities that may leave them little time or energy to engage in outside activities. Immigrants who come to Canada as seniors may also experience heightened isolation as they try to adapt to their new community, especially if they experience language barriers that create diffi culty in accessing services and being socially engaged.7
Addressing social isolation is important at all stages of life, as social patterns are developed and maintained throughout the lifecourse. The cumulative impacts of isolation can be greater, however, as people age and as opportunities for social engagement become less frequent due to factors such as poor health, loss of loved ones, loss of roles/responsibilities and decrease in income.455-458
Achieving greater social connectedness for isolated seniors requires supportive environments that offer a range of options for engagement, meaningful roles and respect within the community.12 More research will be
needed about the quality of community-based support networks, as well as the perception and acceptance of these support networks among seniors at greatest risk.459
There are a variety of targeted interventions that address social isolation among seniors. These include one-on-one support and educational group sessions.460 A systematic
review of the effectiveness of these interventions found that group interventions that covered a range of topics and encouraged expression were successful over time.461
In addition to targeted interventions, social engagement can be encouraged through programs that foster
integration within the community. In Canada, the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) funds initiatives to improve the quality of life for seniors through
participation in active living and social activities.462 NHSP
also supports initiatives that promote respect by enabling seniors to share their knowledge and experiences, and raising awareness of issues facing seniors such as abuse (see Textbox 4.8 New Horizons for Seniors Program).462
Given the potential adverse impacts of social isolation on the health of seniors, future programs should
consider supporting transportation initiatives for seniors, increasing service delivery and including service to remote areas.460 It is important to increase community
awareness of services for seniors. As well, developing outreach strategies for programs and services for seniors will require identifying which populations are underutilizing services and targeting attention to those seniors (and their networks) in program marketing plans.460 The age-friendly communities project (see the
section “Age-friendly communities and universal design” earlier in this chapter) seeks to engage seniors and their communities in making these communities healthier and safer by creating policies, services and structures designed to support and enable active aging and continued
participation in society.
Studies have examined interventions for effectiveness in reducing social isolation among seniors; however, the impact of these interventions – having measureable health and social outcomes – has been limited. Much more research is needed on developing and evaluating interventions that can be effective in this area.
4
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Volunteering
Chapter 3 highlighted positive health outcomes
associated with volunteering, especially during the senior years.255 Additionally, many seniors rely on informal care
networks that are often run by volunteers. Both help to underline the necessity of ensuring that Canada has a strong volunteer base in the future. Generally, seniors volunteer because they have available time as well as experience and skills to offer their communities.471, 472
Recent trends indicate that seniors are the least likely age cohort to volunteer; however, those seniors who volunteer commit the highest average number of hours to volunteering.471 As the population changes, so do
volunteer patterns.
Current seniors are motivated to volunteer in different ways than their predecessors. While previous generations of seniors were more motivated to volunteer through religious-based organizations, this is less of a primary The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), provides
funding to non-profi t organizations in Canada that work to help improve the quality of life for seniors.463
With an annual budget of $28.1 million, the program offers three types of funding: Community Participation and Leadership Funding, Capital Assistance Funding, and Elder Abuse Awareness Funding.462, 463
Through Community Participation and Leadership Funding, seniors are encouraged to remain actively involved in ongoing activities in their community. Projects are initiated and led by seniors and include a variety of activities such as: sharing traditions, skills, experience and wisdom to support their community; teaching peers new skills; and mentoring youth.462, 464
Capital Assistance Funding helps non-profi t organizations delivering community programs and activities for seniors to pay for building repairs or replace old equipment. Eligible organizations encourage seniors’ continued participation within their communities.462, 464
Elder Abuse Awareness Funding helps organizations develop education and awareness campaigns that contribute to preventing the abuse of older adults. The goal of the Elder Abuse Awareness Fund is to improve the safety and quality of life of Canadian seniors.462, 464
Since 2004, the NHSP has funded over 6,000 projects across Canada. This includes the Bridging the Generations Project in Melfort, Saskatchewan, which brought elementary students from Melfort’s Broadway Community School together with seniors through various activities including quilt making and a school
snack program.465 Another initiative, the Let’s Talk
About Abuse project in Trois Rivières, Quebec, succeeded in educating and informing nearly 600 people about elder abuse and the resources available to victims and witnesses.466
In early 2008, a formative evaluation of the NHSP was conducted, involving review of documents and administrative data, a review of a survey of NHSP applicants (funded and unfunded), and interviews with key informants. The grant-based design and use of Regional Review Committees in reviewing applications were identifi ed as the program’s main strengths. The program’s fl exibility allows it to be responsive to unique community needs in different regions and, for the most part, fi lls a distinct niche in the promotion of seniors’ involvement in their community.467
The evaluation also found that promotional efforts through regional communications are effective, as a greater portion of applications have met eligibility requirements. However, applicants reported
dissatisfaction with the increase in time required for application reviews which had increased with the number of eligible applications. Recommendations from the evaluation include the implementation of measures to reduce review times as well to provide detailed explanations for projects that do not receive funding.467
In the budget 2010, a commitment of $10 million over two years increased funding continue work of NHSP and to support volunteering among seniors, intergenerational community participation and raising awareness of fi nancial abuse of seniors.468-470