The Cambridge Council on Aging

History

• The Social Planning Council of Cambridge and north Dumfries began the age friendly work in 2010 and by 2013 we had completed all of the work to be designated by WHO as an age friendly city. However, it was not to be so we formed, after consulting with the Grand River Council on Aging, a Council. However, we decided not to be a non-profit but rather to have a backbone organization and be collaborative.

Mission/Mandate/Vision

• We are a forum for older adults and community members to mobilize and work together to make Cambridge an age friendly community
• We raise awareness of the concerns and needs of older adults, and advocate for positive change

Structure/Governance/Membership

• We have 12 older adults and community organizations on the council
• In 2021 the City has applied to be an age friendly community under WHO- the city is just beginning to renew their older adult strategy and we are at the table

Programs/Projects

• We had a grant to develop a peer mentor program around social isolation-similar to the befriending program in the uk- we followed that with a conference called take the i out of isolation
• During COVID we have teamed up with the regional age friendly network to offer a series of zoom workshops on cohousing and home share, caring for older parents, transportation options..we plan to extend these and add new topics

Website: www.cambridgecouncilonaging.ca