By Mark Schadenberg
With our aging demographics – a fact confirmed by Stats Canada reports earlier this year – Oxford County must prepare for a new look, or at least be prepared to change with the times.
Writing this report or template called Oxford Master Aging Plan is a steering committee co-chaired by Bob McFarland, who is the former director of Community Services for the City of Woodstock.
The game plan is written to concentrate on the 55-plus age bracket and its suggestions will be on display this Sunday, Nov. 4, noon – 4 p.m., at the South Gate Centre’s Active Living Fair.
“The ultimate success of the initiatives in the Oxford Master Aging Plan will be dependent on broad and sustained engagement of community members, service providers and most of all the seniors,” said McFarland, who has been touring all the council meetings in Oxford County to present the committee’s ideas, and was quoted in a recent Woodstock Sentinel-Review story.
“Nineteen per cent of the people in Oxford County in 2011 were over the age of 55,” said McFarland, quoting Stats Canada numbers and projections. “By 2021 that will be 40% of the people.”
One of the steering committee’s tasks was to define various segments in the 55-plus age bracket -- seniors requiring some assistance, those requiring 24-hour support, and seniors who are both well and fit. The steering committee also identified several needs; transportation, housing, health care, social, cultural and recreational.
“Healthy seniors cost less money, so health care and home support services will be critical in avoiding having more of us move into long-term care,” says committee member and therefore partial report author Peggy Ratcliff.
McFarland’s group wants to visit all four corners of the county. The Active Living Fair is an ideal venue.
“We want to get out to where the people are,” he said in The Sentinel-Review.
The Oxford Master Aging Plan has been assisted by a Trillium Foundation grant and some of the committee’s findings will be mirrored around the province.
Lots Of Info To Share At The FAIR
The Active Living Fair will feature information on activities, clubs to join, healthcare tips, demonstrations, sports and leisure, art and crafting hobbies, lifestyle advice, and of course lots of information about joining the South Gate Centre. Admission is free, and door prizes are available.
The South Gate centre is on Old Wellington St South directly next to the archway entrance to Southside Park. (539-9817; www.southgatectr.com). For more details on South Gate, you could also read their online newsletter: The Golden Nugget. By the way, a 2013 membership purchased before Christmas is $150.
Mark Schadenberg
SRES – Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Royal LePage Triland Realty
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
(519) 537-1553
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