An Age Friendly Assessment and Action Plan have been completed for Trail.
The action plan was endorsed by city council and focuses on improvements for eight main areas outlined by the World Health Organization which are Housing, Transportation, Social Participation, Respect and Social Inclusion, Civic participation and employment, Communication and Information, Community Support and health services, and Outdoor spaces and buildings.
Trisha Davison, Director of Parks and Recreation with the City explains how the action plan will be utilized going forward. “It gives us information to say that in future decision making that council supports in principal the recommendations that are in there, so when we look for money or we look to taking initiatives forward, that we have that formal endorsement from council in our back pocket.”
The process started back in March when the City received $25,000 from the UBCM Age Friendly grant program to hire a consultant. Davison explains how the process worked. “The consultant led a process, they were more of a facilitator so findings or the resulting information came from the residents of the community and/or organizations that directly serve the seniors populations in the area.”
The City of Rossland and the Village of Montrose also received the same funding. The communities decided to work collaboratively on the initiative as many topic areas had a regional versus community specific focus.
In Trail, there were 173 survey respondents with 91 of those being 60 or over. 76 per cent of that age group somewhat or totally agree that Trail is an age friendly community. Those who disagreed cited seniors housing and affordability as their main concerns.
Approximately 90 per cent of survey respondents for the assessment totally agreed or somewhat agreed that seniors are generally treated with respect in Trail.
According to the document, 27 per cent of Trail’s population was 65 or older in 2016.
For more information and to view the plans, click here.