The City of Vernon is taking steps to ensure residents are living in a community that accommodates them as they age.
The city has developed an Age and Dementia Friendly Community Plan to ensure the needs of older adults, people living with dementia and their care partners are understood as the community grows.
The plan was endorsed by city council on June 24, and it will be integrated into city policies, including the Official Community Plan. The aim is to ensure improved accessibility for aging populations, persons living with dementia and other people with diverse needs.
The city said in a press release that an age and dementia-friendly community is a place where older adults, those with dementia and their care partners are respected, included and supported, allowing them to be active community members.
According to the city, this means creating social spaces that are welcoming and public places that are accessible.
Not every older adult develops dementia and not every person diagnosed with dementia is an older adult, but the city said both aging and living with dementia share common challenges with inclusion and accessibility, which is why the plan contains strategies and actions for both.
“We understand that the journey toward making Vernon an age and dementia-friendly community is ongoing,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “It requires continuous effort, adaptation, and, most importantly, listening to the voices of others. Their feedback and insights are invaluable in shaping our policies, initiatives and infrastructure projects. Together, we can ensure that Vernon remains a place where those with challenges feel valued, respected, and supported.”
“What we put in place for seniors today, we put in place for ourselves tomorrow,” said Barbara Everdene, project lead and long-range planner. “This plan helps build a community that provides more dignity, safety, and accessibility for all of our community members living with accessibility needs.”
Work on the plan started in 2019 when the Vernon Seniors Action Network (VSAN) established the Age and Dementia Friendly Committee. With support from VSAN, the city obtained a $25,000 grant from BC Healthy Communities (BCHC) and a grant worth just over $184,000 from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Dementia Strategic Fund for the project.
“We’re excited to see this community Age and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan help Vernon protect the most vulnerable seniors in their community,” said Alyssa Roehirch, BCHC age-friendly delivery lead.
Throughout the project, the city has created content to help build awareness about cultivating a more dementia-friendly community, including two mini-documentaries and a five-part animated series. This content, as well as the city's full Age-Friendly Dementia Action Plan, can be found at vernon.ca/dementiafriendly.
