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

4. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSEIn the Spring of 2012, Community and Social Services of the City of Guelph launched an initiative tolook at the impact of the aging population on the City’s services and programs. This was inrecognition of the implications of shifting demographics in Guelph and the heightened importance ofensuring that the City can:• Mitigate challenges that will be presented by growth in the number of seniors• Increase community cohesiveness and reduce isolation• Optimize the use of human capital (all ages)• Reduce the need for health expenditures• Ensure that housing stock is accessible and appropriate for seniors (reduce the need to buildexpensive facilities)• Avoid labour shortages by utilizing skills and expertise of seniors (paid and volunteer)(Qualitative Information Forum, City of Guelph 2010)Ontario’s older population is set to double over the next 20 years, while its 85 and older population isset to quadruple (Sinha, Healthcare Papers, 2011). 14.6% of Ontarians are currently 65 and older, yetaccount for nearly half of all health and social care spending (Census, 2011). By 2031 an estimated33% of Guelph residents will be over the age of 55. (The Growth Outlook for the Greater GoldenHorseshoe, Hemson Consulting Ltd., January 2005.)Older adults are the fastest growing segment of Guelph’s population and the impact of thisdemographic shift on housing, transportation, recreation, urban planning, social services, and othermunicipal and public sector services will present both challenges and opportunities to the City. Inthe area of recreation alone, the “boomer” generation is challenging conventional wisdom aboutwhat constitutes “senior” recreation, prompting municipalities to completely re-think their approachto recreational programming for older adults.The upcoming older adult wave is more fit, more active, and wants services such as personal fitnesstraining, yoga and meditation, spinning classes, and hiking. These older adults want variety andactivity. (“Make Room for the Boom”, Hamilton Spectator, Sept 19/12). This will require a radicalshift in how we think about providing recreational programming. Similar shifts in thinking will berequired across other City programs and services to ensure that they are relevant, responsive andappropriate for the changing demographic.A comprehensive Older Adult Strategy can also contribute significantly to the province’s loominglong-term care challenge. Denmark avoided building any new long-term care beds over two decadesby strategically investing in its home and community care services. It is projected, in the absence of adramatic shift in approach akin to Denmark, that the need for long-term care will grow to 238,000Ontarians in the next two decades (Conference Board of Canada, 2011). It is estimated that up to37% of Ontarians residing in LTC homes could be maintained at home with appropriate supports (TheOlder Adult Strategy for the City of GuelphPrepared by The Osborne Group, October 201210