In Quebec, we have already been marking International Seniors Day for several years (1er October) thanks to the involvement of the Conference of Regional Tables for Consultation of Seniors of Quebec. Each edition is an opportunity to celebrate seniors and recognize their contributions to society. For the 2023 edition, the chosen theme, “Aging well, a happy challenge”, wishes to emphasize active aging, which is intrinsically linked to social participation and inclusion. This theme is, in our opinion, of great relevance. Indeed, according to the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, age is the third main form of discrimination in Canada and Quebec. Various studies have also indicated in the past that 16% to 24% of the country’s seniors could be socially isolated.
Social participation, that is, the opportunity for seniors to get involved, develop social ties and interact with others in their living environment, has a positive impact on their health . It is associated with environmental factors, such as access to means of transport, proximity to resources and services (shops, leisure, health and social services, etc.), a safe neighborhood and walkability (the capacity of the built environment to facilitate travel on foot).
It remains important to offer participation opportunities adapted to the situation of each senior by considering their strengths, expectations or resources in an approach that respects each person’s autonomy and power to act.
So, how can we collectively promote the social inclusion of seniors and ensure that they are more and fully part of all aspects of life in society?
Let “our elders” speak
The aging of the population, observed for several years now, and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic are leading us to question our way of aging in Quebec. Seniors can participate more in discussions and decision-making related to this subject. This is achieved by their inclusion in the phases of identifying problems or needs, in the search for the best solutions, in the implementation of the chosen solutions and in their evaluation.
This continuum of social and civic participation makes it possible to recognize in a concrete way all the contributions that seniors can make to innovation and social change. They can at the same time deploy their agency, therefore act as actors of change at various levels of society, whether, for example, in the defense of rights, the improvement of public policies or the change of standards. social.
On this subject, the expression often used to talk about seniors “our seniors”, although often pronounced with benevolent intentions, rather builds a certain wall between non-seniors and the main stakeholders. Indeed, talking about “our elders” is one of the symptoms of a tendency to exclude older people from public debates concerning them.
Promote social and citizen participation
Social and civic participation is a fairly broad concept. It brings together activities as diverse as participating in a cooking workshop, exercising your right to vote, remaining in the job market or volunteering. There are several facilitating factors that allow seniors to fully participate in these activities, such as access to public or adapted transportation, the presence of street furniture and the universal accessibility of places for people living with disabilities, for example. .
Considering seniors as a heterogeneous group also makes it possible to create a range of diverse social participation opportunities that will interest as many people as possible. Indeed, regardless of their age and life situation, each person has different tastes, needs and desires.
Research in the field of social inclusion tells us that discussion groups are particularly effective in encouraging seniors to speak out and, of course, help us better understand their perceptions, their vision and their experiences. This method is also used by the Initiative for the social inclusion of seniors: a collective issue, a project of the Institute on Aging and Social Participation of Seniors at Laval University.
Since spring 2023, the Initiative has been traveling through different sectors of the territory of the Metropolitan Community of Quebec with a concept of citizen space with the theme “Do you feel left out? Come talk about it! “. Mainly aimed at seniors facing social inclusion challenges, this space invites participants to discuss the sources of exclusion they experience on a daily basis and to think about possible solutions. Thanks to an approach of openness, listening and proximity, this activity promotes speaking among people who do not always find an attentive ear to discuss.
For inclusive kindness towards others… and oneself!
Professor Mélanie Levasseur, who is interested in the social aspects of aging, explained, as part of the Acfas congress in 2021, that the ideal society, “is a community where goodwill towards each other reigns, and particularly towards the elderly. It is a society respectful of difference, which welcomes diversity, including that of age, which demonstrates tolerance, which values the common good. It is a society that recognizes the contribution of seniors, their knowledge, and which promotes their commitment according to their desire to get involved.”
This International Day of Older Persons can be a good time to stop and think about how we can all bring a little more kindness to those around us.
To seniors: don’t lose sight of the importance of your words. Take advantage of the opportunities within your reach! Your ideas deserve to be heard, all year round.