SENIORS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD-BUILDING Lori McLeod
Photo credit: Darel Roa Photography
Building Resilient Neighbourhoods Graphic was designed for the BRN project by Michele Murphy, a local designer with Ink-well Communications.
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o matter where in the world you live, feeling you belong is paramount to quality of life. For older adults, a sense of belonging is closely related to both social functioning and overall health. People who don’t feel they belong can become disconnected from family, friends, and community, which can lead to social isolation. When older adults become socially isolated, it can impact health and create well-being problems such as disrupted sleep, elevated blood pressure, and depression. Research shows that social isolation or loneliness has effects similar to physical inactivity, obesity, or smoking. Extreme loneliness increases a person’s chances of premature death by 14 percent. When individuals have strong social links and a positive sense of belonging, the impacts on their life and health are innumerable, including lower blood pressure, better immune responses, prevention of chronic disease, and lower mortality rates. They are better able to navigate their journey of aging by connecting with local services and resources and increasing their health literacy. Providing opportunities for people to interact leads to more resilient communities. When people feel connected to friends, family, and community, they are generally more engaged through volunteerism, community action, or participation. Volume 26 Number 2 Summer 2017
The Eldercare Foundation, together with our community partners, is working with the Building Resilient Neighbourhoods team to share new ideas for building connections with your immediate neighbours, including intergenerational activities and tips for neighbours in multi-unit buildings or “vertical streets.”
People who don’t feel they belong can become disconnected from family, friends, and community, which can lead to social isolation. We’ve just released a newly updated Resilient Streets Toolkit packed with examples, ideas, and tips on how to meet others interested in supporting neighbour-to-neighbour connections. The toolkit also identifies a number of resources available to help you support activities on your street or in your building. Knowing your neighbours` names and being able to borrow a cup of sugar is important for all of us for longterm resilience. Over time, we may become more and more disconnected from our neighbours and it can sometimes be awkward to reach out. That is particularly significant for seniors who often lose friends and family as they grow older; sometimes they need to work harder to stay connected. The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
Seniors bring a depth of experience and skills to any community or neighbourhood endeavour that many neighbours would welcome. The Resilient Streets program is designed to make it easier for neighbours to • connect, • know each other and over time develop ties, • share resources and other items, • help each other in small and big ways, and • cooperate and share leadership in street or building issues and activities. I encourage you to check out the Resilient Streets Toolkit. www.resilientneighbourhoods.ca You’ll find a broad range of inspiring ideas and a menu of tools and tips to help you get started making changes on your street. Whether it’s hosting a street party, creating a neighbourhood plan for emergency preparedness, or doing a fun hands-on project together, all roads lead to a more inclusive, connected, and resilient community for neighbours of all ages. For more about the Eldercare Foundation, visit www.gvef.org. s
Lori McLeod is Executive Director of the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation. lori.mcleod@viha.ca www.gvef.org TABLE OF CONTENTS
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