June 2, 2011
Province Launches Age-friendly Initiative to Build Bridges Between Youth, Seniors
– – –Focus on Creating Respectful Relationships Between Generations: Rondeau
The province is launching an initiative to help organizations that work with youth and schools to become age-friendly, Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau announced today.
“Our goal is to support meaningful and respectful interactions between generations by increasing youth awareness of the aging process and creating respectful intergenerational relationships,” said Rondeau. “We will also provide support to youth and senior-serving organizations to implement and integrate intergenerational programs.”
Under the Age-Friendly Intergenerational Initiative (AFII) a provincial co-ordinator will work with teachers and community leaders to create opportunities for children, youth and older adults to connect on an ongoing basis, Rondeau said. The province will also provide opportunities for children and youth to receive age-appropriate, introductory education regarding attitudes on aging and stereotypes.
“Promoting positive intergenerational relationships will help to address stereotypes about aging leading to respectful and safe communities,” said David Butler-Jones, chief public health officer, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). “Manitoba's Age-Friendly Intergenerational Initiative is an exciting step forward in connecting generations.”
PHAC, through the federal Elder Abuse Initiative, funded the creation of an educational toolkit called Across the Generations: Respect all Ages and a video called Seniors are Cool!. These resources provide age-appropriate information about elder abuse and are among the tools used by educators and youth programs to foster respectful intergenerational relationships and create positive images of aging, said Rondeau.
“This initiative has great potential to bridge the generation gap and foster safer, more respectful communities,” said Bob Thompson, representing the Intergenerational Subcommittee of the Manitoba Council on Aging. “I look forward to working with our partners and with our children and youth to promote positive intergenerational relationships at all levels.”
The AFII is part of the province’s Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative, which supports seniors in leading active, socially engaged, independent lives that contribute to healthy aging. In co-operation with PHAC and other provinces and territories, Manitoba recently developed milestones that provide a standard for what it means to be an age-friendly community.
This is the first Age-Friendly Week in Manitoba. Other announcements this week have included:
- property tax credits for seniors;
- tax credits for caregivers, many of whom are over 65 themselves;
- a $10-million, 150-unit request for proposals for seniors housing;
- establishment of age-friendly milestones for age-friendly communities; and
- an award to Portage la Prairie for being the most age-friendly community in the province.
Tomorrow, there will be a public, age-friendly walk in Winnipeg to highlight the importance of physical activity for seniors.
- 30 -