We asked Kitchener residents to help us understand what support and resources aging adults need to enjoy a healthy and active life as they age in Kitchener. We used this feedback to create the Age Friendly Kitchener Action Plan.
On this page:
- Read the plan
- Age friendly communities grant
- How we developed the plan
- Our objective
- 2023 progress report
Read the plan
Download a copy of the Age Friendly Kitchener Action Plan.
Age friendly communities grant
We are one of 56 recipients of the Government of Ontario's Age-Friendly Community Planning grant. This program helps municipalities and non-profit organizations to promote healthy and active aging and support older adults in keeping their independence and having access to the community supports and services they need.
How we developed the plan
In 2016, we talked to 1,200 older adults in Kitchener to learn about their needs and ideas for our community. Residents told us that it was important for people to be able to age in their neighbourhoods but policies, services and supports are needed to enable them to do so.
Using feedback from residents, our advisory committee developed four priority areas for action as a first step towards achieving our vision:
- accessible and affordable neighbourhoods
- access to information
- belonging
- connectedness and wellbeing
The recommendations went to committee in April 2017 and were approved by council. Staff transitioned oversight of the project to the Mayor’s Advisory Council for Kitchener Seniors.
Our objective
Our objective was to plan and create a community that is responsive to the changing needs of older adults, and to ensure that there is ongoing social infrastructure in place to support older adults so that they can continue to contribute to all aspects of community life. This objective was accomplished through achieving the following outcomes:
- defining local age friendly principles
- conducting a Community Needs Assessment
- developing an age-friendly community action plan
- prioritizing recommendations of the action plan
2023 progress report
The 2023 progress report was presented by MACKS at Council in August 2023.