OUR Age-Friendly Hamilton Journey
Age-friendly cities foster physical health and mental well-being of people as they age in their community. An Age-Friendly city enhances quality of life by addressing dimensions in the physical and social environment that support active aging. Age-Friendly cities are accessible, equitable, inclusive, safe and secure, and supportive. Because optimal aging is a lifelong process, an Age Friendly city in fact benefits people of all ages. The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided international leadership in identifying the characteristics of Age-Friendly Cities. They have done this by creating a framework and guides for communities that aspire to become Age-Friendly.
Early in the development of the Age-Friendly movement, the Hamilton Council on Aging (HCoA) recognized the importance of fostering an age-friendly community. In 2007, Hamilton became the first city in Ontario to join the global Age-Friendly Cities movement, thanks to the vision and leadership of Dr. Margaret Denton and the advocacy of the HCoA.
HCoA laid the foundation for this initiative by producing two key reports: Hamilton: A City for ALL Ages (2010) and Hamilton: A City for ALL Ages, Three Years On.
Building on this momentum, in 2012, Hamilton City Council formally endorsed the development of an Age-Friendly Plan as a strategic priority. With this commitment, the Hamilton Council on Aging (HCoA) partnered with the City of Hamilton and the City’s Seniors Advisory Committee to develop two Age-Friendly plans for our community: Hamilton’s Plan for an Age-Friendly City (2014-2020) and Hamilton’s Plan for an Age-Friendly Community (2021-2026).
We are currently working collaboratively with the City, the Seniors Advisory Committee, the Age-Friendly Collaborative Committee, and community members to bring our vision of a city for all ages to life.
Visit www.hamilton.ca/agefriendly to learn more about Hamilton’s journey to build a ‘city for all ages’. We invite you to join us in shaping OUR Age-Friendly Hamilton!