Mandate

“To enhance communication between seniors, seniors organizations and relevant government departments about policy issues affecting an aging population;

to serve as a vehicle to partner seniors and their organizations and relevant government departments in the policy development process;

to identify priority policy issues based on the needs of the diverse population of seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador;

to prepare working papers, collect background research and documentation, and identify best policy practices regarding priority issues through the work of the working groups;

and to increase public knowledge and understanding of the aging process and its implication for all age groups in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
 

Membership list ( including website links )- Updated Fall 09

Background:

The Newfoundland and Labrador Experience:

The Seniors Resource Centre has identified the need for seniors and seniors’ organizations to come together to determine health issues of common concern, which must be addressed in light of the Province’s aging population. 

Seniors and seniors organizations have had a long-standing interest in policies that impact their lives.  Historically, in our province, seniors’ organizations have not come together to enter into dialogue with government about policy issues.

In 2004, The Atlantic Seniors Health Promotion Network (ASHPN) secured funding from Health Canada to hold meetings in each of the 4 provinces. In February 2004, the Seniors Resource Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador, secured funding for the Aging Issues Project. It was designed to build upon the work of ASHPN by facilitating a process to develop a structure that will bring seniors together to create partnerships for public policy advancement. The original Steering Committee reporting to the SRC remained in place to guide the work until the end of the funding period (April 2006).

On February 12^th 2005 the network brought together representatives of seniors groups and individuals who were eager to discuss issues that were impacting on seniors in the province.  The aim of the Network was that all of the groups represented would speak with a unified voice with the view of being able to influence policy change.  There was strong support for the formation of the Aging Issues Network to ensure that the voices of seniors were being heard.

One June 21^st 2005 a formalized Aging Issues Network was formed. Membership criteria were adopted: organizational, individual, associate and corresponding and terms of reference were approved.  There was ongoing discussion on how the network would work together and with partners to identify initial issues of interest of the Network members. 

In February 2006, the Aging Issues Network met and identified four areas of interest to explore.  The network members have agreed to develop discussion papers related to these four topics as a means to define the issues, identify current programs and initiatives in these areas, and identify mutually acceptable options for addressing these issues.  Four working groups were formed to develop the discussion papers.  It is anticipated that these options will assist the various members of the network to promote improvements in various organizational and government policies from a shared vision of what is necessary to improve the quality of seniors’ lives.  The process of developing these papers has involved consultation with experts in the fields, review of existing documents, conferring with Network members and member organizations and consultation with Network member contacts. 

Four “Working groups,” comprised of seniors, were formed to identify priority issues and prepare working papers based on research and data collected.  The goal of the working groups was to identify the best policy practices regarding the priority issues.  The working groups were identified as Housing, focusing on supportive housing; Social Inclusion, focusing on transportation, recreation, improved institutional care, community visiting, finances and awareness; Caregiving, focused on needs for appropriate home support and needs of informal caregivers and Wellness, focusing on healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, medication, education and advocacy.  The working groups have reviewed reports, studies, consulted experts, contacted people impacted by the issues and drawn on their contacts to summarize their findings and make recommendations.

The network members have developed discussion papers related to these four topics as a means to define the issues, identify current programs and initiatives in these areas, and identify mutually acceptable options for addressing these issues.  Currently these discussion papers are being finalized.  A summary of the recommendations from each working group has been circulated to all working group members to be approved.  Once a consensus has been drawn between all members of the Network on the recommendations and key issues of the working papers, the Network will be ready to distribute this document to policy makers etc. for future consideration.  

The Aging Issues Network will maintain external communication with the Aging and Seniors Division, the Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors, the Ministerial Advisory Council, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.  The Network will establish communication with other nongovernmental partners as applicable to the priority issues identified.   As the Network’s structure and work progresses, and in keeping with its Mandate, a media strategy will be developed to ensure increasing general public awareness of the issues and identified solutions affection seniors throughout the Province. If you are interested in learning more about the Aging Issues Network, or becoming involved in one of its working groups, call the Project Coordinator, Alicia Cox, or the Seniors Resource Centre’s Executive Director, Kelly Heisz at (709) 737-2333 or 1-800-563-5599. 

The Aging Issues Network includes a number of interested individuals as well as individuals with organizational affiliations. Click here for member listing, which includes links to their websites