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Access the Age-Friendly Communities Planning Guide
AFC Resources
This page contains resources to inform age-friendly planning, implementation and evaluation.
Aging
Reports
- Revera Report on Ageism: Innovation & the Aging Experience (Revera, n.d.)
- Learning from Practice: Promoting Well-being and Health Equity Among Older Adults (The National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, 2023)
- Ageism: What’s the harm? (Centre for Ageing Better, 2023)
- Perspectives on Growing Older in Canada: The 2022 NIA Ageing in Canada Survey (National Institute on Ageing, 2022)
- The Impacts of COVID-19 on the Well-Being of Seniors (Morrisssey, 2022 )
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian seniors (Statistics Canada, 2021)
- UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) (World Health Organization, 2021)
- Aging and Chronic Diseases: A Profile of Canadian Seniors (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2020)
- Older Men at the Margins: Guidance for Practitioners and Services Providing Groups for Older Men (National Institute for Health Research, 2019)
- Strengthening Age-Friendly Communities and Seniors’ Services for 21st Century Ontario (Association of Municipalities Ontario, 2019)
- Identifying Built Barriers: Where do our most vulnerable older adults live in Ontario’s mid-sized cities? (School of Planning, University of Waterloo & School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, 2018)
- Aging with Confidence: Ontario’s Action Plan for Seniors (Government of Ontario, 2017)
- Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health (World Health Organization, 2017)
- Northern Ontario Health Equity Strategy (Health Quality Ontario, 2017- 2018)
- Seniors’ Guidebook to Safety and Security ENGand FRN (RCMP, 2017)
- The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) Report on Health and Aging in Canada (CLAS, 2017)
- Active Ageing: A Policy Framework in Response to the Longevity Revolution (2015)
- WHO World Report on Ageing and Health (World Health Organization, 2015)
Guides & Tools
- Anti-Ageism Clearhouse (Old School)
- Demande de subvention: Conseils d’écriture (Initiative de soutien aux collectivités-amies des aînés de l’Ontario)
- Grant Writing Tips (Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Outreach Program)
- Older People in Disasters and Humanitarian Crises: A Guideline for Best Practices (HelpAge and United Nations)
Community Examples
- Safe Driving Tips for Older Adults (Burlington)
Age-Friendly Businesses
Reports
- Promoting the Labour Force Participation of Older Adults (Federal/Provincial/ Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, 2018)
- Tapping into the older customer market in Ottawa (Ottawa, 2018)
- The Status of Senior Entrepreneurship in Canada: A Snapshot (Sheridan Centre for Elder Research, 2018)
- Understanding ‘Early Exiters’ The Case for A Healthy Aging Workforce Strategy (The Physiological Society, 2022)
Guides & Tools
- Age-Friendly Business Examples (AARP, n.d.)
- Age-Friendly Business Resource Guide (London, 2016)
- Age-Friendly Business Self-Assessment Checklist (Calgary, 2021)
- Age-Friendly Employer Pledge (Centre for Aging Better, n.d.)
- A Guide to Building an Age-Friendly Business in the City of Kawartha Lakes (Kawartha Lakes, n.d.)
- Building an Age-Friendly Simcoe County Business/ Organization Guide and Recognition Program (County of Simcoe, 2019)
- Business Assessment (Wawa, n.d.)
- Creating an Age-Friendly Business Guide (Thorold, 2018)
- Creating an Age-Friendly Business (Welland/Pelham, 2014)
- Creating an Age-Friendly Business (British Columbia, 2011)
- Employer attitudes: Evidence cards (Centre for Ageing Better, 2022)
- Is Your Business Age-Friendly? (Wawa, n.d.)
Projects
- Age-Friendly Ambassadors Project see pages 4 & 5 (Toronto Council on Aging)
Age-Friendly Communities
Reports
- Applying an Equity Lens in Age-friendly Communities Planning (BC Healthy Communities, 2021)
- Debt and assets among senior Canadian families (Statistics Canada, 2019)
- Recent Canadian Immigrant Seniors: A Literature Review of Settlement Experiences and Services (CERIS, 2018)
- A Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors in Ontario (Ministry of Seniors Affairs, 2018)
- Snapshot of age-friendly progress in Ontario (Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Outreach Program, 2018)
- The Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities: Looking back over the last decade, looking forward to the next (World Health Organization, 2018)
- Capturing how age-friendly communities foster positive health, social participation, and health equity: a study protocol of key components and processes that promote population health in aging Canadians (Levasseur et al. 2017)
- Age-Friendly Decision Making Lens (Age-Friendly Kitchener, 2020)
- Can global cities be ‘age-friendly cities’? Urban development and ageing populations (Buffel & Phillipson, 2016)
- The Case for Age-Friendly Communities (Portland State University, Institute on Aging, 2016)
- The Origins, Programs, and Benefits of Age-Friendly Communities (Golant, 2016)
- Aging and Age-Friendly Policy in Ontario’s Mid-Sized Cities (Evergreen, 2015)
- The Value Proposition of Age-Friendly Communities (Grantmakers in Aging, 2015)
- Age-Friendly Communities in Ontario: Multi-Level Governance, Coordination Challenges and Policy Implications (Institute for Research on Public Policy, 2013)
- Canada’s Aging Population The municipal role in Canada’s demographic shift (Federation of Canadian Municipalities, 2013)
Tools
-
Achieving “A Community for all Ages” Across Niagara: Two-Page Candidate Brief (Age-Friendly Niagara Network)
- National Programmes for Age-friendly Cities and Communities: Toolkit (World Health Organization)
Aging Research Centres in Ontario
- Aging, Rehabilitation and Geriatric Care Centre at the Lawson Institute (Western University)
- Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging (Western University)
- Centre for Aging & Brain Health Innovation (Baycrest Health Sciences)
- Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health (Lakehead University)
- Centre for Studies in Aging and Health at Providence Care (Providence Care)
- Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute (University of Ottawa)
- Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging (McMaster University)
- Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (University of Waterloo)
- Trent Centre for Aging and Society (Trent University)
Civic Participation & Employment
Reports
- Age in the Workplace: Retain, Retrain, Recruit (The Prince’s Responsible Business Network, 2016)
- Identifying and Understanding Innovations in Labour Market Adjustment Programs for Older Workers (Ontario Human Capital Research Innovation Fund, 2016)
Guides & Tools
- Age-Friendly Workplaces: A Self-Assessment Tool for Employers (Government of Canada, 2016)
- Age-Friendly Workplaces: A Self-Assessment Tool for Employers (Government of Canada, 2016)
- Tips to help Older Adults find Employment (London, 2017)
- Tips to help Employers hire Older Adults (London, 2017)
- Tips to help Employment Service Providers assist Older Adults (London, 2017)
Community Examples
- Redirection: Movers, Shakers, and Shifters (A documentary film that examines career shift, transition, and occupational change in later life)
Communication & Information
Reports
- Report on Tech-Savvy Seniors (Revera, 2012)
Guides & Tools
- Age-Friendly Communication: Facts, Tips, and Ideas (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2021)
- Ageism and Media Resources (Province of Saskatchewan, 2018)
- Clear Print Accessibility Guidelines (Canadian National Institute for the Blind, 2018)
- Designing an Information Guide for Older Adults (Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Outreach Program, 2018)
- Style Guide: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (Queen’s University, Faculty of Health Sciences)
- Words are Powerful: A Style Guide for Writing and Speaking — avoiding ageist concepts and language (Ageism & Media Committee Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism, 2018)
Community Examples
- Age-Friendly Calendar (Municipality of Halton Region, 2022)
- Age-Friendly Newsletter (Niagara, 2018)
- Age-Friendly Newsletter (Cornwall, 2017)
- Community Resources for Older Adults (Hamilton, n.d.)
- Community Resources for Older Adults (Temiskaming Shores, 2016-2017)
- Guide to Services and Programs for Older Adults (Ottawa, 2019)
- Making the Right Call Rack Card (Thorold, n.d.)
- Kenora Age-Friendly Services Guide 2016-2017 (Kenora, 2016 – 2017)
- Senior Connector Program (Halton, 2022)
- Be Prepared Workbook (Age-friendly Peterborough, 2022)
Community Support & Health Services
Reports
- Connecting Memories with Nature: Opportunities for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities in Mid-sized Cities (Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University, 2018)
- How Canada Compares: Results From The Commonwealth Fund’s 2017 International Health Policy Survey of Seniors (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2017)
Guides & Tools
- A Glossary of Terms for Community Health Care and Services for Older Persons (World Health Organization, 2018)
- Integrated care for older people Guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity (World Health Organization, 2017)
- Putting Food on the Table Project Toolkit (Sheridan College, 2021)
- Senior Friendly Care – Senior Friendly 7: A toolkit for healthcare providers (Regional Geriatric Program, 2018)
Community Examples
- From Soup to Tomatoes: An Exercise Program Guide to Implementation (Timiskaming Health Unit, n.d.)
- Stay on Your Feet Program and Medication Management Videos (North East Local Health Integration Network, 2021)
- Be Prepared Workbook (Age-friendly Peterborough, 2022)
Dementia-Friendly Communities
Reports
- A Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2019)
- Making Homes More Dementia-Friendly through the Use of Aids and Adaptations (Association for Dementia Studies, 2019)
- Navigating the Path Forward for Dementia in Canada: The Landmark Study Report (Alzheimer Society, 2022)
- World Alzheimer Report 2022 – Life after diagnosis: Navigating treatment, care, and support (Alzheimer’s Disease International, 2022)
Guides & Tools
- Dementia-Friendly Communities Local Government Toolkit (Alzheimer Society of B.C.)
- Housing Options for People Living with Dementia — Volume 1 — Volume 2 — Volume 3 (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Resource List: Dementia as a Disease or a Disability
- Resource List: Dementia-Friendly Communities
- Resource List: Workplace Education on Dementia
- Towards a dementia inclusive society: WHO toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives (DFIs) (World Health Organization)
- Towards a dementia plan: A WHO guide (World Health Organization)
Community Examples
- Dementia Friends Canada
- Finding Your Way (Program)
- Minds in Motion (Program)
- Taking Control of Our Lives Self Management Pilot Program
Francophone Older Adults
Reports
- White Paper on Ontario’s Aging Francophone Population (FARFO, 2019)
- Health and Social Services for Francophone Seniors in Eastern Ontario and Manitoba: Guidelines to Improve the Continuity of French Language Services (GREFOPS, 2018)
- Report on Service and Housing Needs of Francophone Seniors: Erie St. Clair/South West (French Language Health Planning Entity) (Entite, 2014)
Guides & Tools
- A Guide for Planning and Providing Francophone Long-Term Care (French Health Network of Central Southwestern Ontario, 2017)
- Implementing the Optimal Model of Long-Term Care for Francophones and Other Cultural and Linguistic Minority Groups (French Health Network of Central Southwestern Ontario, 2017)
- Populations in Focus (Special e-Newsletter) Issue 1 – Francophone Older Adults
Housing
Reports
- Accessible and Adaptable Housing (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Affordable Housing for Older Adults (The Research Shop with Age-Friendly Guelph)
- Aging in Place (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Building a Seniors Campus (Simcoe)
- CMHC Flex Housing (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- CMHC Housing Observer (Canada Mortgage and Housing)
- Developing a Housing Strategy for an Age-Friendly Community (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Enhancing Eviction Prevention Supports for Older Adults in Social Housing (Wellesley Institute, 2023)
- Housing for Older Canadians: The Definitive Guide to the Over-55 Market (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Housing a senior population — the economic and social benefits of seniors in your community (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Housing Options for People Living with Dementia — Volume 1 — Volume 2 — Volume 3 (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Housing Options for Seniors (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- How Co-housing is different from a Cooperative or a Conventional Condominium (Wolf Willow Cohousing)
- Laneway Homes (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- No Place to Grow Old: How Canadian Suburbs Can Become Age-Friendly (Institute for Research and Public Policy)
- Ontario Secondary Suite Research Study (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Report on housing needs of seniors (Government of Canada)
- Seniors’ Housing Report (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Seniors and Housing: The Challenge Ahead (Federation of Canadian Municipalities)
- The Cost of Including Accessibility Features in New Homes and Apartments (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Visitable Homes (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Why Seniors Leave Their Homes (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Why visitable housing matters (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
Guides & Tools
- Age-Friendly London Housing options Guide (London)
- Guidelines for VisitAble Housing Measurements (VisitAble Housing Canada)
- HomeShare Toolkit (Burlington & Halton)
- It’s Time to Unleash the Power of Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities in Canada (National Institute on Aging)
Community Examples
- Abbeyfield Houses Society of Canada (Abbeyfield Canada)
- Project Profile: Brechin Manor – Solterra Co-housing (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Project Profile: Camponi Place – Repurposed RCAF base (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Project Profile: McIntyre House – Repurposed RCMP Barracks (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
- Wolf Willow Co-housing (Wolf Willow Co-housing)
Immigrant Older Adults
Indigenous Older Adults
2SLGBTQI+
Resources
- The National Resource Centre on 2SLGBTQI Aging (National Institute on Ageing, n.d.)
- Applying an Equity Lens in Age-friendly Communities Planning (BC Healthy Communities, n.d.)
- Rainbow Health Ontario (Rainbow Health, n.d.)
- The 519 Organization – Handbook for Affirming LGBTQ Older Adults – Still Here, Still Queer (The 519, n.d.)
- Leading and Learning With Pride – A Revitalized Tool Kit on Supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors (Toronto, n.d.)
- LGBT2SQ Health Connect (Sherbourne Health, 2022)
- Social Isolation of Seniors – A Focus on LGBTQ Seniors in Canada (Government of Canada, 2021)
- Families of Choice and Community Connectedness: A Brief Guide to the Social Strengths of LGBTQ Older Adults (Wardecker & Matsick, 2020)
- Providing Services for LGBT2SQ Seniors (Sagelink, 2020)
- What we need to know: Developing knowledge and awareness about LGBT older adults (Henriquez, 2019)
- LGBT Tool Kit: Creating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans-Inclusive and Affirming Care and Services (CLRI, 2018)
- Seeing and Supporting LGBT Older Adults’ Caregivers and Families (Wardecker & Johnson, 2018)
- Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Inclusivity in Long-Term Care Homes: A Canadian Perspective (Sussman et al., 2018)
- LGBTQ2+ aging in Canada: Building the evidence and informing action (Wilson et al., 2018)
- Innovative Approaches Addressing Aging and Mental Health Needs in LGBTQ Communities (Hoy-Ellis et al., 2017)
Tools
- Aging in Community: A Focus on Older LGBTQ2S+ Canadians
- Populations in Focus (Special e-Newsletter) Issue 2: 2SLGBTQI+ Older Adults
Monitoring & Evaluation
Guides & Tools
- How Age-Friendly is your community? Developing indicators to measure Age-Friendliness (Public Health Agency of Canada, n.d.)
- WHO Measuring the Age-Friendliness of Cities: A Guide to Using Core Indicators (World Health Organization, 2022)
- Age-Friendly Communities Evaluation Guide: Using Indicators to Measure Progress (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2015)
- Evaluating Your Age-Friendly Community Program: A Step-by-Step Guide (Portland State University Institute on Aging, 2014)
- Getting To Outcomes™ 2004: Promoting Accountability Through Methods and Tools for Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (RAND Corporation, 2004)
Community Examples
- Template of Dashboard for AFC Plan (Hamilton)
Outdoor Spaces & Public Buildings
Reports
- Ageing and the city: making urban spaces work for older people (HelpAge International, 2016)
Guides & Tools
- Creating Parks and Public Spaces for People of All Ages (The Trust for Public Land)
- GoHere Washroom Locator App (Crohn’s and Colitis Canada)
- Stop Gap (Stop Gap)
Community Examples
- All Season Age-Friendly Pedestrian Safety and Walkability Checklist (Hamilton)
- Age-Friendly London Parks Checklist (London)
Rural Communities
Reports
- Rural Older Volunteers & The COVID-19 Pandemic (Rural Aging Research Program, Trent University, 2021)
- Rural Ontario Foresight Papers: Rural Volunteerism (Rural Ontario Institute, 2019)
- An Overview of Healthy Aging Strategies in Rural and Urban Canada (Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, 2018)
Guides & Tools
- Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2015)
- Backgrounder: Rural Complete Streets (Toronto Centre for Active Transportation, 2019)
- Healthy Rural Communities Tool Kit: A Guide for Municipalities (Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge Health Unit, 2019)
- Populations in Focus (Special e-Newsletter) Issue 3: Rural and Remote Communities
Respect & Social Inclusion
Guides & Tools
- Connecting Generations: A Toolkit for Planning Intergenerational Events (New Brunswick Department of Social Development, 2017)
- Contributing to the Fight Against Abuse: A Guide for Age-Friendly Municipalities (Votre Gouvernement, 2022)
- A Case Study on Ageism during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, 2022)
- Addressing elder abuse: A toolkit for developing a coordinated community response (Alberta Government, 2019)
- An Examination of the Social and Economic Impacts of Ageism (Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, 2022)
- Applying an Equity Lens in Age-friendly Communities Planning (BC Healthy Communities, 2021)
- Enabling Older Adults to Age in Community (Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, 2022)
- Global Report on Ageism (World Health Organization, 2021)
Community Examples
- You’re Never Too Old: Portraits of Aging (Hamilton)
Social Isolation
Reports
- Building Connections: Promising Practices to Reduce Older Adult Social Isolation for Age-Friendly Community Initiatives (The Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Outreach Program, 2021)
- Including Us: What Older People Say About The Barriers They Face to Social Isolation (HelpAge International, 2023)
- The Psychology of Loneliness: Why it Matters and What We Can Do (Campaign to End Loneliness, 2020)
- Seniors: Loneliness and Social Isolation (Halton, 2016)
- Social Isolation Among Older Adults During the Pandemic (Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Forum of Ministers Responsible for Seniors, 2021)
- Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older People: Advocacy Brief (World Health Organization, 2021)
- Social Isolation of Seniors – Understanding the Issue and Finding Solutions (Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Forum of Ministers Responsible for Seniors, 2021)
- Understanding Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Canadians and How to Address It (National Institute on Ageing and RTOERO Foundation, 2022)
Community Examples
Social Participation
Reports
- ADVOCACY BRIEF | Social isolation and loneliness among older people (World Health Organization, 2021)
- Building Connections: Promising Practices to Reduce Older Adult Social Isolation for Age-Friendly Community Initiatives (The Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Outreach Program, 2021)
- It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource for Strengthening Social Connections (Coyle, Gleason, & Bui, 2020)
- Social participation in older women and men: differences in community activities and barriers according to region and population size in Canada (Naud et al., 2019)
- Examining Social Participation of Older Adults to Help Create an Age-Friendly Community (Kubach, 2014)
Guides and Tools
- Connecting Generations: A Toolkit for Planning Intergenerational Events (New Brunswick Department of Social Development, 2017)
- Videoconferencing with Older Adults: Best Practices for Psychosocial Group Interventions
Community Examples
- Count Me In! (Quebec)
- Recreation & Leisure Assistive Devices Inventory (London)
Transportation
Reports
- Accelerating Rural Transportation Solutions (Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition)
Guides & Tools
- Safe Driving Tips for Older Adults (Burlington)
Community Examples
- Seniors on the Move
- A Guide to London Transit (London)
- London & Area Transportation information (London)