City Council Agenda - November 26, 2012 - City of Guelph

Attachment 1The age range used for the purposes of this strategy is wide (55+) and there will be significantdifferences in need between the low and the high of the range based both on age and functionalcapacity. Accordingly, it will be important to consider segmenting the needs of older adults using agebands and/or functional capacity, to ensure that programs and services meet the needs of the entirepopulation of older adults in the city.Timeline: OngoingLead Responsibility:Older Adult Committee of CouncilBudget Impact:Impacts depend on nature and extent of Committee recommendations and Council actions.Implementation Considerations:1. The City should ensure the active involvement of its residents and citizens in theimplementation of the Older Adult Strategy. It should utilize neighbourhood groups, existingseniors’ networks (e.g., GWSA, Probus, retirement groups) and special interest groups. Thisstrategy is also consistent with the City’s strategic initiatives in its Corporate Strategic Plan(City Building)4.0 THAT the City integrate the themes and messages in the Older Adult Strategy in acomprehensive City communications strategy.Rationale:The City is faced with the significant challenge of communicating a large amount of information to awide variety of residents and stakeholders. What is important to one individual is not important toanother. There will always be competing priorities for the dissemination of information.Accordingly, a communications strategy that recognizes the need to coordinate common themes andmessages while also targeting specific audiences using a range of appropriate channels will beessential to ensuring that people get the specific information they need, when they need it, as wellas understanding the full range of City plans and how they are related.Themes of inclusion, equity, sharing, respect, and diversity have arisen in the course of developing anOlder Adult Strategy. They are universal themes that cut across age groups, income levels, andculture. They are also reflected in other City initiatives and in the City’s vision and missionstatements. A strong communications strategy will align several initiatives (Community Well-Being,Youth Engagement, Older Adult Strategy, Community Investment). It will serve to provide residentswith an overarching view of the City as a welcoming, friendly place for residents of all ages. It willbridge the gap between young and old, and help to combat ageism.Older Adult Strategy for the City of GuelphPrepared by The Osborne Group, October 201248