Calgary seniors age-friendly strategy aims for inclusiveness

Calgary is getting ready for its baby boomers and the elderly.

Although this city is among the youngest in the country, the population is growing older.

There are currently about 120,000 senior citizens in Calgary but that number is expected to double in the next 20 years.

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To prepare for that, the city has launched Age-Friendly Calgary, an initiative to prioritize seniors' needs.

It's a long-term vision to ensure that the city is ready for an increase in an older population.

Age-Friendly Calgary has six priority areas the city aims to improve:

• Access to information services
• Community support and health
• Housing
• Participation and inclusion
• Prevention of and response to elder abuse
• Transportation and mobility

The idea is to plan ahead according  to Raynell McDonough, a city strategist.

"Rather than planning reactively to a larger number of seniors, we're in a really good place to plan ahead for coming years," says McDonough.

Will bring more respect

Eighty-year-old Charles Goeldner is hopeful the initiative will make Calgary a better place to live for seniors.

He's an advocate against elder abuse and says too many seniors are treated with disrespect.

"It's pathetic," he says.

"Young people -- and I'm talking younger people in their 30s, 40s, even the youth of today -- unfortunately don't look at seniors with the respect that is deserved."

Goeldner says Age-Friendly Calgary could be just what the city needs to bring issues of aging to the forefront.

"Calgarians need to be aware of the fact that they are aging," he says. "Every breath you're taking, you're aging. Whether you like it or not."