What is life like for older adults in Niagara? The Age-Friendly Niagara Council has launched a survey in hopes of finding out.
“What we want to do is to learn from the perspective and experiences of older adults who live in Niagara so that together we can further strengthen Niagara as an age-friendly community,” says the chair of the Thorold Age-Friendly Committee Jean D’Amelio-Swyer, in an interview with ThoroldToday.
According to 2021 Census data, adults aged 55 and older make up 38.7 per cent of the Niagara population, compared to 33.1 per cent in the rest of Canada. The survey, which launched at the start of June, is looking for input from older adults over 50 years old.
"We’re trying to get information on what are some challenges for older adults in Niagara and how we can help to minimize these challenges," D'Amelio-Swyer says. "Questions relate to community engagement and communications, recreation, learning and leisure, services, and infrastructure."
D’Amelio-Swyer says that the Thorold response to the survey has been a little muted so far.
“People are sometimes hesitant to do surveys but this is a very safe survey,” she says. “It only takes about five minutes. We will be able to identify what the barriers are for older adults in Thorold. That’s why it’s important that Thorold residents will have their voices heard on this questionnaire, so that we can identify the Thorold issues.”
The survey can be completed online until July 15. There are also paper copies available at the Thorold Seniors’ Centre and the Thorold Public Library.
