FAQs

The 8 key domains for Age-Friendly Cities used by World Health Organization:

Outdoor spaces and buildings
The outside environment and public buildings have a major impact on our mobility, independence, and quality of life as we age. Outdoor spaces and buildings in an Age-friendly City will strive to be safe, accessible, and comfortable for people of all ages.

Transportation
Affordable, reliable, and convenient transport options enable older people to get out and about and continue to do things that matter to them. Whether it’s going shopping, meeting friends, or attending an appointment, good transport is essential to everyone.

Housing
The right housing and support can allow people to age comfortably and safely, in their community. Poor housing can have a huge impact on health, but when housing is considered as part of the age-friendly approach, it can help to maintain or improve physical and mental wellbeing, as well as social connections.

Social participation
Participating in leisure, cultural and spiritual activities in the community is important for health and wellbeing, a sense of belonging and good relationships. Without social participation, people can experience loneliness and isolation. An Age-friendly City will work to make sure activities available in their place are as financially, culturally, and physically accessible as possible.

Respect and social inclusion
An Age-friendly City enables people of all backgrounds to actively participate, and it treats everyone with respect, regardless of age. Despite “age” being a protected characteristic, ageism is still prevalent nationally, and Age-friendly Communities seek to challenge this.

Civic participation and employment
Age-friendly Cities look to provide good-quality options for people in later life to continue to contribute to their communities. Those options can include paid employment or voluntary work as well as being engaged in democracy.

Communication and information
Staying connected with events and people, and getting timely, practical information is important for all of us, especially as we get older. Age-friendly Communities seek to ensure information is accessible for those with varying resources and abilities.

Community support and health services
As the older population grows, the need for community support and health services grows too. Alongside accessible and affordable health care services, community support and physical activity opportunities are strongly connected to good health and wellbeing throughout life.

Based on the 2021 Census of Population, 68,570 people aged 50 and older live in St. John's, making up 40% of the population!

Property Tax Reduction
A property tax reduction is available to senior citizens in receipt of the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Click here for more information.

Seniors Recreation and Programming
The City provides programs specifically for those 50+ that allow seniors to interact with peers and participate in an array of recreational activities, such as gentle fitness, games and occasional outings. See Seniors Programs for more information.

Inclusive Services
Our recreation programs welcome individuals of all abilities to participate. Inclusive recreation programs offer participants an opportunity to build the necessary skills for active living in a safe and supportive atmosphere. Information on Inclusive Services is available on the City's webpage: Inclusive Services.

Seniors Advisory Committee
The Seniors Advisory Committee provides information and advice to Council on matters related to seniors that intersect City policies and programs.

Below are the action items approved by Council: 

• Development of Age-Friendly Policy - To develop an age-friendly policy to help guide City decision making.

• Improved Communication - To assess and determine best practices with regards to communication with the senior population in the City. This could include increased signage in public and open spaces, increased awareness of the Calendar of Events, e-updates, and recreational programming.

• Intergenerational Programming - Our goal is to bridge the gap between children, youth, and seniors by offering more opportunities for intergenerational activities within our City.

• Housing - The demand for affordable housing for the older adult population is rising. With the continued work from the City’s Housing Division, the intention is to ensure that this division communicates and disseminates information pertaining to housing and the Affordable Housing Strategy to all residents.

• Voice of Seniors - As outlined in the Seniors Advisory Committee terms of reference, we are committed to providing increased opportunities for committee members to participate in relevant forums, engagement sessions and workshops. Furthermore, the committee with guidance from City staff will continue to seek opportunities to engage with seniors on civic matters that enhance healthy aging within our City.

• Diverse Representation - To ensure that diverse populations within our City are represented in the overall Age-Friendly plan. This may include a review of the Seniors Advisory Committee terms

The age-friendly policy is intended to support the development of programs, services, infrastructure, events, and policies so that they support all residents, including seniors, in living safely, staying healthy, and staying involved in their community. 

We're engaging the community to:

• Provide information to seniors and those interested in seniors’ matters about current city programs and services that support Age-Friendly Cities.
• Provide opportunities for seniors and those interested in seniors’ matters to provide feedback to the City about what it means to be an Age-Friendly City.
• Seek input from seniors about their experiences and expectations related to programs and services within the eight domains of Age-Friendly Cities that can result in tangible actions within the City’s control.
• Ensure seniors of all ages and abilities can participate in the public engagement process in a way that meets their needs.

The City of St. John’s is recognized as being age-friendly through World Health Organization (WHO). One key element of our commitment to being an age-friendly City involves providing increased opportunities to engage with seniors on civic matters that enhance healthy aging within our City.

The City received a grant from the Age-Friendly NL Communities program to execute a Voice of Seniors engagement process to connect, educate, and learn more about what resident feel would make our City more Age-Friendly. 

Feedback will be used to inform priorities related to the 8 domains of age-friendly cities.