MINUTES
SENIORS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
July 13, 2010
4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.

Attendance:

Committee Members:
Angela Morris, Chair ,Warren Carroll, Vice-chair, Shirley Burchell, Warren Carroll, Ramma Chabra, Jaswant Dhanjal,
Katy Kwan, Susan Leppington, Ivy Ng, Jeyasakthy Thayaparan, and Manickampillai Velauthapillai, Deputy Mayor Heath, Councillor Burke, Lori Wells, Manager of Programs, Susan Watts, Seniors Coordinator, and Laura Gold, Committee Clerk

Regrets:
Tasneem Karimjee, Sandra Donin, and Councillor Moretti

Agenda Item	Discussion	Action Item
1. CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOMING REMARKS	The second meeting of the Seniors Advisory Committee was called to order at 4:07 p.m. with Angela Morris presiding as Chair.
2. APPROVAL OF JUNE 8, 2010 SENIORS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES	Moved by Warren Carroll Seconded by Velauthapillai Manickampillai That the minutes of the June 8, 2010 Seniors Advisory Committee be adopted as presented. CARRIED
3. ADDITIONS/CHANGES TO THE AGENDA	There were no additions or changes to the agenda.
4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES	The Committee was advised that it has been provided with a $5,000 grant from Celebration Markham for expenses it may incur. It was noted that the Committee may decide how it will spend the grant (e.g. creating a brochure to promote the Committee).
5. WORKSHOP PRESENTATION – COMMITTEE PRIORITIES	Ms. Susan Watts, Seniors Coordinator, and Ms. Lori Wells, Manager of Programs, conducted a workshop to help the Committee determine its priorities. The Committee was provided with a list of priorities, which were derived from the World Health Organizations Friendly Cities Guide, the Diversity Action Plan and from the Committee Members original interviews (to serve on the Seniors Advisory Committee). Members were advised that they could select priorities that were on the list or select their own priorities. The Committee was broken into (2) groups to discuss its top (3) priorities with respect older adults. The (2) groups were then requested to present their top (3) priorities regarding older adults to the Committee as a whole. A representative from each group presented their priorities to the Committee as a whole. Both groups had selected the same (3) priorities to focus on, which included the following: 1) Transportation 2) Affordable Housing 3) Social Participation The Committee noted the following areas of concern/areas of interest with respect to the top (3) priorities that the Committee agreed upon with respect to older adults: 1) Transportation · Ensuring there is dependable transportation for seniors to get to the places they can enjoy and need to go (e.g. seniors centres, the doctor office or the grocery store) · Looking at transportation systems that set fees based on distance travelled (e.g. London England) · Providing free transportation for seniors from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. · Placing benches in target places so that seniors can rest when going for a walk · Reviewing wait times for public transit · Reviewing bus routes (do they stop at places seniors need to go) · Looking at usage of public transportation · Looking at both paid carpooling and volunteer carpooling · 2) Housing · Ensuring there is affordable housing for seniors · Ensuring there is accessible housing for seniors with disabilities · Providing support to seniors so that they can stay in their homes 3) Social Participation · Providing more places for seniors to meet · Ensuring seniors are able to get out of their homes to socialize · Educating residents with respect to services that already exist · Creating opportunities for seniors to socialize with diverse groups · Educating seniors of the benefits of being in a seniors home/ help seniors overcome fears with respect to leaving their home · Creating a multigenerational living centre (e.g. having a seniors home with a daycare downstairs) · Waiving fees for room rentals to provide seniors with a place to meet The Chair discussed scheduling a longer duration of time to brainstorm in order to have a more in-depth discussion with respect to the Committee’s priorities. A Member noted the importance of first educating themselves in regards to the services that already exist for older adults. Another Member suggested discussing (1) priority per meeting. The Committee requested that a representative from York Region and Markham Mobility come speak to the Committee regarding senior’s transportation. The Committee thought it was important to define transportation, noting that transportation could include placing benches in targeted locations to enable seniors to go for walks. It was recommend that Lorenzo Mele the staff representative from the Town’s Cycling and Pedestrian Committee provide a presentation to the Committee with respect to how the Town’s Cycling and Pedestrian Plan will accommodate older adults. There was some discussion with respect to having these types of presentations at the seniors’ centres annual meetings.	Invite a representative from York Region and Markham Mobility come speak to the Committee regarding senior’s transportation – Susan Watts Invite Lorenzo Mele the staff representative from the Cycling and Pedestrian Committee to a future meeting to give a presentation on how the Town’s Cycling and Pedestrian Plan will accommodate older adults.
6. NEXT MEETING DATE	The Chair advised that she had emailed Members the 2010 meeting dates and reported that there would be no meeting in December. The Committee was reminded that the next meeting of the Seniors Advisory Committee will be held on August 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the Canada Room. The Committee was requested to ask seniors in their community what they believe should be the top priorities for older adults and were requested to report back at the next meeting. The Committee discussed placing an article promoting the Committee in Markham Life or in the Markham Economist & Sun with the objective of generating community interest.
7. ADJOURNMENT	The second meeting of the Seniors Advisory Committee adjourned at 5:39 p.m.

Agenda Item

Discussion

Action Item

1. CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOMING REMARKS

The second meeting of the Seniors Advisory Committee was called to order at 4:07 p.m. with Angela Morris presiding as Chair.

2. APPROVAL OF JUNE 8, 2010 SENIORS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES

Moved by Warren Carroll
Seconded by Velauthapillai Manickampillai

That the minutes of the June 8, 2010 Seniors Advisory Committee be adopted as presented.

CARRIED

3. ADDITIONS/CHANGES TO THE AGENDA

There were no additions or changes to the agenda.

4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

The Committee was advised that it has been provided with a $5,000 grant from Celebration Markham for expenses it may incur. It was noted that the Committee may decide how it will spend the grant (e.g. creating a brochure to promote the Committee).

5. WORKSHOP PRESENTATION – COMMITTEE PRIORITIES

Ms. Susan Watts, Seniors Coordinator, and Ms. Lori Wells, Manager of Programs, conducted a workshop to help the Committee determine its priorities. The Committee was provided with a list of priorities, which were derived from the World Health Organizations Friendly Cities Guide, the Diversity Action Plan and from the Committee Members original interviews (to serve on the Seniors Advisory Committee). Members were advised that they could select priorities that were on the list or select their own priorities. The Committee was broken into (2) groups to discuss its top (3) priorities with respect older adults. The (2) groups were then requested to present their top (3) priorities regarding older adults to the Committee as a whole.

A representative from each group presented their priorities to the Committee as a whole. Both groups had selected the same (3) priorities to focus on, which included the following:

1) Transportation

2) Affordable Housing

3) Social Participation

The Committee noted the following areas of concern/areas of interest with respect to the top (3) priorities that the Committee agreed upon with respect to older adults:

1) Transportation

· Ensuring there is dependable transportation for seniors to get to the places they can enjoy and need to go (e.g. seniors centres, the doctor office or the grocery store)

· Looking at transportation systems that set fees based on distance travelled (e.g. London England)

· Providing free transportation for seniors from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

· Placing benches in target places so that seniors can rest when going for a walk

· Reviewing wait times for public transit

· Reviewing bus routes (do they stop at places seniors need to go)

· Looking at usage of public transportation

· Looking at both paid carpooling and volunteer carpooling

2) Housing

· Ensuring there is affordable housing for seniors

· Ensuring there is accessible housing for seniors with disabilities

· Providing support to seniors so that they can stay in their homes

3) Social Participation

· Providing more places for seniors to meet

· Ensuring seniors are able to get out of their homes to socialize

· Educating residents with respect to services that already exist

· Creating opportunities for seniors to socialize with diverse groups

· Educating seniors of the benefits of being in a seniors home/ help seniors overcome fears with respect to leaving their home

· Creating a multigenerational living centre (e.g. having a seniors home with a daycare downstairs)

· Waiving fees for room rentals to provide seniors with a place to meet

The Chair discussed scheduling a longer duration of time to brainstorm in order to have a more in-depth discussion with respect to the Committee’s priorities. A Member noted the importance of first educating themselves in regards to the services that already exist for older adults. Another Member suggested discussing (1) priority per meeting.

The Committee requested that a representative from York Region and Markham Mobility come speak to the Committee regarding senior’s transportation. The Committee thought it was important to define transportation, noting that transportation could include placing benches in targeted locations to enable seniors to go for walks. It was recommend that Lorenzo Mele the staff representative from the Town’s Cycling and Pedestrian Committee provide a presentation to the Committee with respect to how the Town’s Cycling and Pedestrian Plan will accommodate older adults. There was some discussion with respect to having these types of presentations at the seniors’ centres annual meetings.

Invite a representative from York Region and Markham Mobility come speak to the Committee regarding senior’s transportation – Susan Watts

Invite Lorenzo Mele the staff representative from the Cycling and Pedestrian Committee to a future meeting to give a presentation on how the Town’s Cycling and Pedestrian Plan will accommodate older adults.

6. NEXT MEETING DATE

The Chair advised that she had emailed Members the 2010 meeting dates and reported that there would be no meeting in December. The Committee was reminded that the next meeting of the Seniors Advisory Committee will be held on August 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the Canada Room. The Committee was requested to ask seniors in their community what they believe should be the top priorities for older adults and were requested to report back at the next meeting. The Committee discussed placing an article promoting the Committee in Markham Life or in the Markham Economist & Sun with the objective of generating community interest.

7. ADJOURNMENT

The second meeting of the Seniors Advisory Committee adjourned at 5:39 p.m.