Toward a vision to enhance ageing in community for older persons in Manitoba


Priority: Active Aging and Wellness Goal: To create and sustain an enabling environ- ment that promotes and supports optimal health for all Manitobans across their life course. Background: Health is a resource for everyday


living. Active aging is about optimizing opportuni- ties for health, participation and security to enhance quality of life as people age (WHO – Active Aging: A Policy Framework 2002). Wellness is the full inte- gration of optimal states of mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Although trends


show a major decrease in mortality in Canada, they also point to an in- creasing overall burden of


disease,


Active Aging in Manitoba


It’s never too late to start taking up healthy habits. Photo by Army Medicine.


widening


the gap between years of life and years of life with good health. Ap- proximately four in five Canadian adults have at least one modifiable


risk factor for chronic disease (self-reported tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and harmful use of alcohol). While Manitobans are living longer, it is impor- tant that we live longer in good health through prevention and delay of onset of chronic disease, frailty and disability and that we extend our func- tional ability for everyday living and independence for as long as possible. Promoting and supporting optimal health for life requires an enabling environ- ment that informs, promotes and supports healthy behaviours that contribute to physical, social and mental wellness, independence and quality of life. Statistics from CANSIM (2014) show in the


population 65+ years of age, only 51.7% of males and 37% of females were active enough to meet the Canada Physical Activity Guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. There is much room for improvement.


It is time to change the way we think about aging.


A healthier older Manitoban population requires the shedding of stereotypes about aging and older people. It requires a more inclusive approach that encourages older Manitobans to be participants on a variety of levels, including the planning of pro- grams and policies that affect them. A healthier Manitoba population will benefit from the rich ex- perience and skills that older Manitobans can con- tribute. The federal, provincial and territorial ministers


responsible for sport, physical activity and recre- ation have developed a common vision for increas- ing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving. This document pro- vides a framework creating an enabling environ- ment for health, active aging and wellness in Mani- toba. It identifies the cultural norms, spaces and places, public engagement, partnerships, leadership


and learning required to achieve a more active and engage population (Canadian Sport Policy, Frame- work for Recreation in Canada, Active Canada 20/20 and initiatives to promote supportive envi- ronments for healthy weights). Actions Required: • Support an open dialogue with government and agencies toward collaborative approaches for active aging in Manitoba. • Create enabling environments for active aging,


including access to healthy aging information, pro- grams and services. Advocate for policies that sup- port meaningful engagement of older Manitobans. • Promote and support the inclusivity of older Manitobans in all planning affecting health: • Adopting a life-course approach; • Improved access; • Equity and diversity; • Support physical literacy (across the life-


course); • Encourage ageless engagement opportunities in sport, fitness, understanding our body and follow- ing positive role models; • Advocate for supportive community design (built environment/enabling environment) to en- courage regular physical activity, social engagement, community connections and safety and security of older adults in their community; • Encourage ongoing engagement of older Mani-


tobans through volunteerism; • Make active aging the norm and cultural trade- mark of living in Manitoba. • Promote the positive and inspiring aspects of


growing older in Manitoba. Possible Partners: • Active Aging in Manitoba • Manitoba Association of Senior Centres • Volunteer Manitoba • Recreation Connections Manitoba • Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba • Sport Manitoba • Retiree Associations Active Aging in Manitoba (AAIM) is located at the


Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital, 1075 Leila Avenue, Winnipeg. Go online to activeagingmb.ca.


The Parkway Retirement


Community Independent Living Suites with Services


Meals,


housekeeping, recreation, transportation included


Spacious suites and balconies


Indoor parking


In-suite washer and dryer


Call today for a tour at 204-487-8500


85 Paget Street (off Sterling Lyon Parkway)


theparkway.ca “Sweet, Suite Life” August 2019 whatsupwinnipeg.ca 13


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