[Guide] Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities

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Introduction

In September 2006, the Federal/Provincial/Territorial (F/P/T) Ministers Responsible for Seniors endorsed the Age-Friendly Rural/Remote Communities Initiative (AFRRCI). The Initiative has two main objectives:

1. to increase awareness of what seniors need to maintain active, healthy and productive lives within their communities by identifying indicators of age-friendly rural or remote communities; and
2. to produce a practical guide that rural and remote communities across Canada can use to identify common barriers, and to foster dialogue and action that supports the development of age-friendly communities.

In an age-friendly community, policies, services, settings and structures support and enable people to age actively by:

• recognizing the wide range of capacities and resources among older people
• anticipating and responding flexibly to aging-related needs and preferences
• respecting the decisions and lifestyle choices of older adults
• protecting those older adults who are most vulnerable
• promoting the inclusion of older adults in, and contribution to, all areas of community life