Initiatives to reduce isolation 1

Supporting transportation initiatives

It is important that all levels of government support and develop transportation accessibility initiatives targeted to seniors. If we increase the availability of transportation alternatives to seniors, particularly rural seniors, we can reduce isolation and loneliness. Many rural seniors have farther to travel for based health and social services, and whose transportation difficulties may be exacerbated by adverse weather and road conditions. Lower-income seniors, who have recently given up driving and are unaware of alternatives, may also need help with transportation

Exploring remote communications as tools to reduce isolation

It is important to explore the options for service delivery presented by new technology. Contact through telephone and email is a way for seniors to get social support. Internet use is on the rise by seniors, and that almost every household in Canada has a telephone, these modes of communication are tools for maintaining beneficial connections between isolated seniors and their social networks or service providers.

 Increasing community awareness of services for seniors

If services are not promoted properly, they may not be used as intended. It is important to improve information about available supports for seniors to the community at large.

We have found in our research that many of our seniors who are willing to use a service often find out about it very late, because of a lack of awareness of what is available in the community. There is also research findings showing that a low volume of social service utilization by elderly people, especially low-income minorities, was found to be due more to lack of knowledge, perceived availability (or unavailability) of social services, and restricted access, then to the abundance of informal support.