TORONTO ON, OCT 1—CanAge, Canada’s National Seniors’ Advocacy Organization, is marking National Seniors Day with the release of its first-ever Impact Report. Since the organization’s launch at the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, CanAge has successfully advocated for more than 140 policy changes that directly protect and improve the lives of older Canadians and caregivers, including over 100 policy recommendations reflected in federal party platforms during this month’s election.
“National Seniors Day allows us all to celebrate the contributions of seniors as valuable members of our society, but also serves as a reminder that Canada still has a very long way to go to meet the very pressing needs of our aging population,” says Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge. “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last year on behalf of our fast-growing network of members and partners across Canada.”
Highlights from the 2020-21 CanAge Impact Report, include:
- 1 year since the launch of CanAge’s evidence-based and expert-reviewed policy book, VOICES: A Roadmap to an Age-Inclusive Canada.
- 141 policy “wins” (policy change as a result of advocacy)
- 62 written policy submissions to government
- 111 policy recommendations included in federal election party platforms
- 265% growth in national reach
- Nearly 2000 appearances in the media commenting on emerging issues affecting older Canadians
National Seniors Day is an important annual milestone that asks all Canadians to pause and reflect on the invaluable contributions older people make to our society all year long. This is especially critical at a time where older Canadians are still facing undue financial hardship, loss of loved ones and health crises in the wake of the pandemic.
In recognition of the disproportionate number of seniors who suffered and lost their lives over the last year and a half in long-term care, CanAge is supporting the Person-Centred Language Pledge: an initiative that encourages everyone working in long-term care to use “person-centred” language when working with residents. Research shows this simple but pivotal shift can greatly improve quality of care and life. While the Pledge currently focuses on Ontario, CanAge is looking to expand its scope to encompass a national shift in the use of person-centred language in long-term care.
Looking forward, CanAge is also announcing several major projects in support of key advocacy priorities, including an updated edition of last year’s explosive Vaccine Cross-Country Report Card, which assigned each province and territory a letter grade on how well they vaccinate older adults against preventable diseases like seasonal flu, shingles and pneumonia. The report was credited with driving policy change across Canada to make vaccines more affordable and accessible to our aging population.
Similar large scale national projects in support of dementia care, safer banking for seniors, seniors’ transportation and showcasing healthcare innovation are also in the works.
“We’ve had tremendous success advocating for change on behalf of Canada’s 6.8 million seniors, but this is just the beginning for CanAge,” remarks Tamblyn Watts. “New and emerging issues threatening the rights and well-being of older adults in our country don’t stop, so neither will we.”
Download CanAge’s 2020-21 Impact Report or get more information on National Seniors Day.