Lethbridge City Hall. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Report to guide City of Lethbridge’s progress on becoming more “age-friendly”

Feb 27, 2020 | 4:32 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Rob Miyashiro hopes Lethbridge can gain official certification as being “age-friendly.”

He is a City Councillor and the Executive Director Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization and presented his findings of the Age-Friendly Lethbridge (AFL) Community Profile this week.

According to the city’s 2019 census, approximately 16 per cent of all residents in Lethbridge are 65 years of age or older.

“If you make things more livable for seniors, it will actually be more livable for everybody,” says Miyashiro.

As one example he gave, by having more smooth transitions from road to sidewalk, that would not only make moving around in wheelchairs and walkers easier but also for parents with young children in a stroller.

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Over 500 residents and dozens of caregivers were surveyed recently. 92 per cent said “Lethbridge is a great community for seniors”, while 81 per cent agreed that it is a safe place for seniors.

Miyashiro says, right now, the municipal government’s biggest strength in this process is that it is, has, or will be putting together master plans on public transit, parks, cycling, pathways, community recreation and wellbeing, safety, and municipal housing.

On the other hand, he told LNN that many seniors struggle to ensure their driveways and sidewalks are clear of snow and ice in the winter. He wants to look into ways of having neighbourhoods work together on issues like that.

Other matters the councillor said need to be worked on are affordable housing both for those who want to live independently and for those who need supports, and to get a handle on the rising costs of health and dental services.

Miyashiro is pushing for the City of Lethbridge to eventually get age-friendly designation from the Government of Alberta and the World Health Organization.

While there are no direct financial benefits to getting this, he says it would help to entice people to move to Lethbridge and could give recognition that Lethbridge is taking steps to improve its citizens’ lives.

The report made 18 points in its action plan, which include:

1. Develop a volunteer snow removal program
2. Document barriers faced by seniors
3. Participate in discussions around improved usability of public transit
4. Participate in discussions around seniors’ housing
5. Share information about housing options and subsidies
6. Gather information on seniors groups such as Indigenous seniors, recent immigrants, and those who identify as LGBTQ2S+
7. Document existing initiatives and pilot new ones around seniors’ loneliness and isolation
8. Partner with Lethbridge Diversity and Inclusion Alliance
9. Host a yearly Age-Friendly Forum
10. Develop an information collecting and sharing strategy
11. Share consistent messages about AFL and its member agencies
12. Provide input to city strategies from an age-friendly lens
13. Increase availability of systems navigation for seniors
14. Increase caregiver support options
15. Review and update AFL Committee Terms of Reference
16. Create outcome measurement plans for each initiative
17. Pass a Council resolution to formalize Lethbridge’s commitment to AFL
18. Apply for the Age-Friendly Alberta Recognition