This document summarizes a meeting about a research project on well-being of Filipino elderly in Toronto. It discusses key findings from the Filipino Elderly Well-being (FEW) research project including that most Filipino elderly live in poverty. It also summarizes recommendations from the project and priorities from Toronto's Seniors Strategy, including improving housing, access to services, and culturally sensitive care. The document outlines next steps for the FEW project including applying for community grants and increasing Filipino representation in seniors forums and groups.

1. FILIPINO ELDERLY WELLBEING PROJECT
Revival and Renewal Meeting
January 19, 2016 | Filipino Centre Toronto

2. 
Welcome & Introductions
Why are we all here?

3. 
Agenda
Seniors in Canada: National and Provincial Themes
FEW Research Project Summary
Toronto Seniors Strategy
Discussion (small and whole group)
Filipino Community
- What do we have? What do we lack?
- What do we want for our seniors?
- What do we want to achieve?

4. The Aging Population in Canada:
NationalThemes
 INCOME
 HOUSING
 TRANSPORTATION
 HEALTH
 AWARENESS AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES AND BENEFITS

5. Provincial Programs
(Ontario Action Plan for Seniors)
 Improved Access to Community Care
 Ontario Drug Benefit Program
 Aging at Home Strategy
 Long-term Care Transformation
 Elder Abuse Strategy
 Ending Mandatory Retirement

6. What is the FEW Project?
 Research collaboration between University of Toronto & Filipino
Centre Toronto (2011-2013)
 250 participants of Filipino ancestry, at least 65 years of age,
Canadian citizens or permanent residents and living in the
Greater Toronto Area
 250 completed survey questionnaire & 20 randomly selected
individual interviews
 Video

7. FEW Project Report KEY FINDINGS
 Approximately 7 out of 10 Filipino elderlies in
the GTA live in poverty
 Economic vulnerability more pronounced for
those who migrated to Canada post 1990s & for
female elderlies
 Primary reliance on government support for
economic security
 Majority live with family members and/or
relatives

8. FEW Project Report KEY FINDINGS
 Largest expenses: Housing, Food
 Many seniors rely on free or low-cost health and medical
services, provided by Filipino, religious and other
community based organizations
 Large segment have additional quality of life concerns,
including food, sufficiency, personal outside assistance,
and emotional wellbeing

9. FEW Project Report RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Establish a Task Force on Filipino Elderlies that is community-led
and multi-sectoral to take charge of overall policy direction,
advocacy and program development for culturally appropriate
services.
2. Build and enhance organizational capacity for political advocacy,
grant writing and service delivery of Filipino community and
seniors groups
3. Tap shared interests and resources of other ethno-racial
organizations for potential collaborations and joint partner-
ships in relation to elderly populations.

10. FEW Project Report RECOMMENDATIONS
4. Politicians with sizeable Filipino constituents need to take
consistent leadership and coalition-building roles to advocate
for the best interest of Filipino elderlies.
5. Full support of government policies that will promote the
positive quality of life for all elderlies. (CPP, OAS)
6. Maintain and reinforce government policies committed to
eradicating labour exploitation (women, immigrant and
racialized minority workers). Redress ongoing deskilling and
deprofessionalization of Filipinos and immigrants of
colour.

11. FEW Project Report RECOMMENDATIONS
7. Provide more subsidized housing and create Office of
Housing Ombudsperson that will address complaints and
grievances of long-term and low-income elderly residents.
8. Better communication and dissemination of various elderly
services and programs. Develop a partnership with Community
Care Access Centres and other multi-service and healthcare
providers. Create a directory of relevant agencies and services
9. Hiring and retention of more Filipino medical, social service,
and mental health providers in government and community
based organizations need to be a priority.

12. FEW Project Report RECOMMENDATIONS
10. Filipino and other businesses to develop a discount program for
elderlies. Win-win situation will enable elderlies to purchase
familiar and necessary items from ethnic business, and will help
entrepreneurs entice new buyers.

13. FEW Project Report
Report Dissemination
Meetings with City Councillors (2013-2015)

14. Moving the FEW
Project Forward

15. Toronto Seniors Strategy: 2012 to NOW
Key Priorities
 HOUSING & ACCOMMODATION and
LONG TERM CARE
 FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND
SERVICE ACCESS
 HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT &
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SERVICES
 SAFETY, SECURITY AND LEGAL
PROTECTION
 SENIOR PARTICIPATION &
LEADERSHIP/ADVOCACY

16. Toronto Seniors’ Forum
 The Toronto Seniors' Forum was established to "give a voice to
seniors not often heard.” Their dedicated members work to
ensure the City of Toronto meets its commitment to provide
services equitably to all senior residents.
 The Forum, supported by City staff, is comprised of up to 30
volunteers, who are at least 60 years of age and are residents of
Toronto. They function as a conduit for communication
between the City and its senior residents and reflect the diverse
geographic and social/economic aspects of seniors in Toronto.

17. KEY PRIORITIES: Toronto Seniors’ Forum
HOUSING & ACCOMMODATION and LONG TERM CARE
 Increase affordable housing & reduce waiting times;
available stock of barrier-free housing; long-term care
homes; culturally-sensitive care service
FINANCIAL RESOURCES & SERVICE ACCESS
 Provide fund translation services; lower cost of TTC seniors
pass; availability of transportation for non-medical
appointments; no fee recreation programs; reduced fees
for seniors’ groups providing programming in recreation
centres

18. KEY PRIORITIES: Toronto Seniors’ Forum
HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT & CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SERVICES
 Provide full-range dental care for low-income seniors;
review & raise current financial cut-offs for access to
subsidized dental care
SAFETY, SECURITY & LEGAL PROTECTION
 Increase Toronto Police Service for anti-fraud education
programs; community programs for seniors watch;
oversized street signs

19. KEY PRIORITIES: Toronto Seniors Forum
SENIORS PARTICIPATION & LEADERSHIP/ADVOCACY
 Increase opportunities to take part & advocate (Seniors
Forum); leadership/advocacy training
WHERE IS THE GAP?

20. City of Toronto Community Services
 ELDERLY PERSONS/HEALTHIER LIVING/ACTIVE LIVING CENTRE
 CLIENT INTERVENTION & ASSISTANCE
 SOCIAL RECREATION & WELLNESS EDUCATION
 COMMUNITY/CONGREGATE/COMMUNAL/GROUP DINING

21. City of Toronto Community Services
 MEALS ON WHEELS/COMMUNITY KITCHENS/FOOD BANKS
 HOME MAINTENANCE, SNOW SHOVELLING & LAWN CARE
 TRANSPORTATION/ACCESSIBLE PARKING/WHEEL-TRANS/ TTC
 COMMUNITY CENTRES/EMPLOYMENT
CENTRES/VOLUNTEERING
 LIBRARIES/MUSEUMS

22. FEW Project 2016 - 2021
 WHAT DO WE WANT FOR OUR SENIORS?
 WHAT DO WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IN 2016?
Seniors Community Grant Program
 Applications due March 4, 2016
 Grants from $500 - $8,000

23. Seniors Community Grant Program
Projects must fulfill at least one of the following priorities:
 Lead to opportunities for seniors to network and become better integrated
into the social fabric of their communities.
 Encourage and support activities, events and programs that promote
learning and the sharing of information as it relates to seniors issues.
 Support activities, events and programs that embrace seniors as volunteers.
 Develop plans and programs that can be shared across communities.
 Develop plans and programs that allow organizations to sustain seniors’
programs over a longer period of time.

24. Sample Projects
Connect, Meditate, Laugh, Learn:
Seniors Path to Holistic Health
and Wellness
A means to offer low-income, isolated and hard-to-
serve seniors access to fitness and wellness activities,
information seminars about their health, technology
and social media training, volunteer opportunities,
music lessons and group singing.
Filipino Canadian Community House
Toronto
$8, 000

25. Sample Projects
"Let's Get Active!" Senior's
Health Club
To provide four seminars (Hiking, Diets, Exercise and
Health Minds) and four events (Hiking, Karaoke,
Dance Class and Table Tennis) to recent immigrants
and senior women.
Korean Canadian Cultural Association of Metropolitan Toronto
North York
$7,400
Inter-generational
Conversational Ojibwe
Opportunities for Aboriginal seniors, children and
their parents to attend community-based
conversational Ojibwe language programming.
Mishko Bimaadziwin Family Support Services
Thunder Bay
$8,000

26. Sample Projects
Fit and Fun! Active 55+ Swing
Dance Lessons and Social Dance
Professional swing dance teachers will instruct
seniors, including those with ambulatory disabilities. A
celebratory gala dance showcase will be performed at
the end of the project.
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Toronto
$7,890
Expanding Biodiversity
Knowledge of Fish, Birds and
Medicinal Plants
Seniors will participate in educational outings to
increase their existing knowledge of nature.
New Credit Cultural Committee
Hagersville
$3,000

27. Sample Projects
Seniors Engagement
& Empowerment
Project
Computer classes to enable seniors to learn how to access the
internet and the development of a resource booklet.
Parkdale Community Information Centre
Toronto
$8,000
Card Playing To bring together Chinese, Pakistan, Indian & Ethiopian
communities through playing cards - to socialize, become
volunteers and become involved in community activities.
Ontario Family Life Services Centre
Toronto
$3,000

28. FEW Project 2016 - 2021
 WHAT DO WE WANT FOR OUR SENIORS?
 WHAT DO WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IN 2016?
 HOW DO WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED?
 WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO?

29. Next Steps
 Toronto Seniors Forum – Filipino representation
 March 19 Age Friendly Toronto Forum - Filipino representation
 Seniors Community Grants
 Grant writing support
 Facilities/Locations
 Volunteers
 Working with city staff and city councillors