Emergent Challenges and Opportunities to Sustaining Age-friendly Initiatives: Qualitative Findings from a Canadian Age-friendly Funding Program. Issue 2 (4th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Russell, Elizabeth; Skinner, Mark W.; Fowler, Ken
• Is Part Of: Journal of aging & social policy. Volume 34:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 198
• Page End: 217
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04
• Subjects: Age-friendly communities -- rural aging; Older people -- United States -- Periodicals; Older people -- Government policy -- United States -- Periodicals; Older people -- Periodicals; Older people -- Medical care -- United States -- Periodicals; 362.605
• DOI: 10.1080/08959420.2019.1636595
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0895-9420

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Age-friendly initiatives often are motivated by a single funding injection from national or sub-national governments, frequently challenging human and financial resources at the community level. To address this problem, this paper examines the challenges and opportunities to sustaining age-friendly programs in the context of a Canadian age-friendly funding program. Based on a qualitative thematic content analysis of interview data with 35 age-friendly committee members drawn from 11 communities, results show that age-friendly sustainability may be conceptualized as an implementation gap between early development stages and long-term viability. Consistent over-dependence on volunteers and on committees' limited capacity may create burnout, limiting sustainability and the extent to which communities can truly become "age-friendly". To close this implementation gap while still remaining true to the grass-roots intention of the global age-friendly agenda, sustainable initiatives should include community champions, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaborations, and systemic municipal involvement.