Oshawa and the Oshawa Senior Community Centres (OSCC55+) yesterday announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved Oshawa’s application for membership to the Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
In its application, the City and the OSCC55+ demonstrated Oshawa’s commitment to advancing an age-friendly environment in the community through the following:
- Completion in 2018 of a baseline survey of older adults in Oshawa that included the use of online, paper and in-person engagement opportunities, including online and paper surveys, focus groups and forums.
- Development of a council-approved Age-friendly Strategy, including recommended actions centred on the eight WHO age-friendly dimensions.
- Implementation of the Strategy and its 68 recommendations through the support of the Age-friendly and Accessibility Staff Working Group and the Community Stakeholder Steering Committee.
Through this approval, the WHO acknowledges Oshawa’s commitment to sharing and promoting the values and principles central to the WHO Age-friendly approach and implementing age-friendly local environments, said a city statement.
Oshawa’s Age-friendly Strategy was approved by the OSCC55+ Board of Directors and endorsed by City Council in June 2019.
The strategy outlines a framework for the City and the OSCC55+ to respond to both opportunities and challenges of an aging population by creating physical and social environments that support independent active living and enable older adults to continue contributing to all aspects of community life. For more information, visit the Diversity and Inclusion webpage.