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October 23, 2009
(Red Deer, Alberta) – A study to understand existing and emerging housing needs for seniors will start this week.
“This study will allow us to identify housing needs and options for seniors in Red Deer,” said Linda Healing, Community Facilitator with The City of Red Deer. “We’ll be gathering information directly from seniors and other stakeholders, so we’ll get a comprehensive picture of housing in our community.”
The Seniors Appropriate Housing Committee (SAHC) has initiated the study to determine the current housing situation for seniors and to develop policies and recommendations that will ensure appropriate accommodations for the future.
As Red Deer is projected to see an increase in our aging population, the timing of the study is critical to plan for upcoming housing needs. “The number of people 65 and over is expected to jump from 10 per cent to 14.5 per cent by 2026,” said Franklin Kutuadu, Community Researcher, The City of Red Deer. “With these changing demographic and social trends, it’s important for us to establish what seniors feel is lacking in the current housing system so that we can prepare for the future.”
The research study will focus on senior citizens living within the city of Red Deer, and it will run until March, 2010. “Our goal is to gather feedback from five per cent of the seniors in Red Deer, or about 400 people,” said Healing. “The public is invited to participate in three different ways, as we will be mailing surveys, offering focus group sessions and conducting in-person interviews.”
Surveys will be mailed to seniors who are members of local senior-serving agencies. Any senior in Red Deer who would like to participate and is not currently a member of a senior-serving agency can call 403-342-8100 to request a survey, participate in a focus group or take part in an interview.
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For more information, please contact:
Linda Healing Franklin Kutuadu
Community Facilitator Community Researcher
The City of Red Deer The City of Red Deer
403-342-8342 403-356-8931
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