Table of Contents
Click on each section to navigate through the Policy Book.
- >Issue #6: Sensory Health
- >Issue #7: Dementia and Cognitive Impairment
- >Issue #8: Mental Health and Substance Abuse
- >Issue #9: Increase Sector Capacity in Geriatrics
- >Issue #10: Rehabilitative Care
- >Issue #11: Wait Times
- >Issue #12: Inter-Jurisdictional Practices
- >Issue #13: Innovation
- >Issue #14: Hospice, Palliative and End-of-Life Care
- >Issue #15: System Change
>Caregiving, Long-Term Care, Home Care, and Housing Resources
- >Issue #21: Family Caregiver Supports
- >Issue #22: Long-Term Care National Quality Standards
- >Issue #23: Long-term Care Residence Staffing Reform
- >Issue #24: Infrastructure Investment and Upgrades
- >Issue #25: Change the Long-Term Care Model of Care; Prioritize Rights and Dignity
- >Issue #26: Home Care
- >Issue #27: Housing Affordability
- >Issue #28: Support Aging in Place
- >Issue #29: Funding Retirement in Uncertain Times
- >Issue #30: Protect Pensioners from Corporate Default and Protect Deferred Wages
- >Issue #31: Dispute Resolution with Financial Institutions
- >Issue #32: Banking and Investment Sector Seniors’ Reforms
- >Issue #33: Workforce Inclusion
- >Issue #34: Tax Filing for Seniors
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Social Inclusion
Social isolation is often defined as a deprivation of social connectedness. Many older adults report feeling socially excluded and a recent report indicated that 20% of Canadian seniors, pre-COVID-19 pandemic, did not have a single person to reach out to in case of emergency.
A lack of social inclusion can create profound loneliness, financial insecurity and dependence, declining mental and physical health, and increase conditions for abuse and neglect. Social isolation can lead to loneliness, depression, and poor health outcomes which are equal to or even worse than alcoholism, obesity, or smoking. Social inclusion is an area where many emerging innovative and exciting practices are being piloted, particularly in the time of COVID-19, which need support and scale.
Ageism is often found as a key underlying cause of social exclusion, discrimination, and social vulnerability. Ageism must be confronted in a similar manner as other forms of discrimination such as racism, sexism, or homophobia and proactively challenged as a fundamental breach of rights.
Social inclusion requires significant community engagement and sector capacity building. Canada should adopt leading programs and practices as well as support vitally important knowledge hubs, such as the United Way’s CORE Program, across the country.