| Bob Baldwin Awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award! | |
On February 21st, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Pension Centre of Excellence proudly presented its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Bob Baldwin!
With a career dedicated to strengthening retirement income policies and practices in Canada, Bob Baldwin’s leadership with the COA’s Income Security Expert Panel as well as at the C.D. Howe Institute, Canada Pension Plan Advisory Board, and Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions, to name a few, helped shape the future of financial security for Canadians. His research and leadership guided policymakers and industry leaders toward better retirement outcomes.
Thank you and congratulations Bob!
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My name is Shauna Reynolds, and I am a winter BSW placement student at the Council on Aging of Ottawa until the end of March. I am a third-year BSW student at Carleton University with a previous degree in Health Psychology. I chose the COA because I am passionate about helping and advocating for older adults, as well as making Ottawa a supportive city for them. I previously completed a placement at The Good Companions, where I assisted with community support services and worked closely with volunteers. During my placement, I hope to expand on my skills in community engagement and advocacy, as well as learn more about being a social worker in the field and community. In my free time, I enjoy reading and listening to music.
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Snow Moles Unite!
Promoting safe and accessible winter walks in three neighbourhoods this year
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Walking Audit - Lowertown
On February 4, two days after Groundhog Day, eight Snow Moles walked through Lowertown to audit the winter walking conditions. They did not see their shadows!
While the walking conditions were favourable along most sidewalks, intersections, and sidewalks on York Street; whereas the less favourable conditions noted were snow-covered benches, and salt buildup in the park. There were plenty of grit boxes on Ottawa Community Housing properties along the route to sand icy and slippery spots.
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Letter to the Editor - Ottawa Citizen
Feb 25 – Ontario must act on seniors’ needs
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Re: Seniors housing should be a big issue, Feb. 20
Our future Ontario premier needs to face reality and the facts. Older adults will reach 25 per cent of our population by 2035. The needs of older adults change over time, and we need to plan for this demographic change. Affordability and providing home-care supports will be important factors when we look at the future design of our cities.
Housing is a basic human right and a major challenge as more and more older adults struggle with finding an affordable and accessible place to call home.
Today, 77 per cent of non-market housing funding comes from municipalities with only 14 per cent from the province. Ontario needs to step up. Along with health, affordable housing is in crisis. We are a rich country and have ample wealth to solve this issue. A healthy economy begins with providing affordable and appropriate housing for all.
This week, voters need to demand of our elected officials a commitment that coordinates a housing system that serves every Ontario resident.
- Valerie Wright, Co-Chair, Age Friendly Housing Committee at the Council on Aging of Ottawa
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What is a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC)?
A NORC is simply a geographic designation for an area such as a rental/condo building or neighbourhood block, that houses a high density (variably defined as 30-60%) of older adults. NORCs have become home to many seniors for various reasons, including greater ease of mobility, not wanting or being able to maintain a single-family home, economic pressures, or a desire to be closer to amenities.
The COA wants every person in Ottawa to be able to age in their community with access to the support and services they need.
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The COA is a volunteer-driven organization. Through your efforts, we continue to grow in influence and advance the well-being and quality of life of Ottawa’s older adults, for today and for the generations to come.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
**Please include the volunteer position title in the volunteer application form.
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Fund Development Committee Member
Do you have a passion for networking? Are you skilled in generating financial support for an organization? The COA is building a team of qualified individuals to join our Fund Development Committee.
We’re seeking volunteers with diverse skills. Opportunities include:
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Membership Cultivation: Help grow the Council's membership base through a variety of initiatives and campaigns (Corporate, organizational, and individual membership).
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Donor Cultivation: Foster relationships with active donors and solicit new donors to create income for the organization.
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Grant Applications: Identify grant opportunities that align with the work of the Council and collaborate with staff and volunteers to write applications.
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Silent Auction Solicitation: Network within the community and secure auction items for fundraising functions.
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Ad Publication Sponsorship: Generate and convert leads to sponsors within our new publications.
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Event Sales: Promote and increase the number of registrations for fundraising and educational events.
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Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Elevate our current efforts in peer-to-peer fundraising for our annual Walk of Ages event in September.
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Calendar Lead: Take charge of the development of our annual calendar. This includes working with a team to secure sponsors/advertisers, write content, and manage the distribution of calendars to various stakeholders.
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COA Calendar Publishing Working Group
Do you enjoy a good project? The COA is building a team of qualified individuals to join our Calendar Working Group.
We’re seeking volunteers with diverse skills to help create the COA Calendar from start to finish. Opportunities include:
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Calendar Lead (1): Take charge of the development of our annual calendar and help coordinate the team to success.
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Securing Sponsorship/Advertisement (4): Responsible for obtaining sponsorship ads for the calendar. Each month features a major advertiser (total of 12). Other advertising spots are available as well.
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Content Writing (2): Create written copy on a series of topics that benefit older adults. Content is determined by the sponsor's type of business and is sometimes provided.
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Distribution (2): Network with various stakeholders, arrange distribution and pick up of calendars ahead of publication in September, communicate with printer to ensure timely printing.
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Ask a Housing Expert: Universal Design
Universal design provides a solution by creating homes that accommodate people of diverse abilities, allowing them to live independently and age in place safely and comfortably.
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Ottawa's older adults need primary care before it is 'too late'
Advocates for seniors’ health have been watching with alarm as the numbers of Ottawa seniors without primary care grow. It is a worsening problem that requires greater attention than it has been getting, says Carolyn Inch.
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Kendall: Ottawa benefits from a neighbourhood approach to health care
The shortage of family doctors has become a pressing concern across Canada, and Ottawa is no exception, with about 15.6 per cent of Ottawa residents — 165,362 people — unattached to primary care.
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Social prescribing connects people to opportunities that support their well-being
When she was first introduced to the idea of social prescribing a few years ago, Natasha Beaudin, who was working as a health promoter at a downtown community health centre in Ottawa, said she found the concept just made sense.
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Adults 65+: We've got tips to help you this tax season!
This tax season, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) wants to help you get all the benefit and credit payments that could put money in your pocket. Whether you’re filing your tax return, planning for retirement, or caring for loved ones, we have tips and resources to help you!
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Improving Physical Activity Engagement in Older Adults
Kayne Park | PhD
University of Ottawa | School of Rehabilitation Sciences | Perley Health
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About: The study involves multiple sessions (3 sessions per week for 3 weeks) where participants play a video game on an interactive robotic device located at the Faculty of Health Sciences building at the University of Ottawa (200 Lees Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5). We also will be asking participants to wear a small accelerometer to track their daily step count, fill out questionnaires to gauge their perspectives on physical activity, and perform baseline assessments of their reaction time, walking ability, and grip strength. Participants would be enrolled in the study for approximately 2.5 months. We offer compensation up to $100 for their time in the study.
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Biomechanics Research
Mary-Elise MacDonald & Julie Nantel
mmacd156@uottawa.ca| University of Ottawa
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About: We will be analyzing postural balance using motion capture during a visual search task. Participants will complete the task while standing upright, stepping-in-place, and while walking on a treadmill. The study will consist of a single, 1-2hr session at the University of Ottawa Lee’s campus.
Who?:
- Healthy adults aged 55+ and individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD)
- No neurological conditions (other than PD)
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
- No surgery in the last 12 months that could negatively affect standing or walking
- Weight under 250lbs, due to treadmill
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Private for-Hire Transportation Services
Farria Fatima | 4th Year Health Sciences Student | Carleton University
f.fatima@coaottawa.ca
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About: The aim of this survey is to help identify the barriers associated with transportation services used by older adults and how they can be made more accessible and affordable.
Who?: Older adults in Ottawa using transportation services such as Uber and Lyft.
All the information collected will be confidential and no details will be shared elsewhere. The data collected is solely for research purposes.
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Environmental Well-Being in Canadian Homes
for Aging in Place
National Research Council of Canada
University of Toronto | Carleton University
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About: The National Research Council of Canada, the University of Toronto, and Carleton University are combining their expertise to help Canadians who want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible.
Who?: Canadians from across the country to participate in the survey about homes, the conditions in homes, and the health and well-being of the people who live there. You are eligible if you are over 60 years of age, love primarily in Canada, and either live in your own home or have moved into supportive housing within the past two years.
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DISCLAIMER: Our News is published as an information and education service. We try to present the most current information available.
COMMITMENT: As a bilingual organization, the COA makes every effort to provide complete and well-written information available in both official languages. The information coming from third parties may not be bilingual but is shared in both languages when available.
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The Council on Aging of Ottawa gratefully acknowledges the financial support of
the Government of Ontario and the City of Ottawa.
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