Seniors’ Week: Age-friendly businesses benefit everyone

Calgary is part of the global movement to create age-friendly cities. Today, The City of Calgary celebrated Seniors’ Week in Kensington Village with the announcement of a new Age-Friendly Calgary initiative called Age-Friendly Business. The Age-Friendly Business initiative helps Calgary businesses and organizations develop services and spaces that can support an aging population.

Calgary's business community plays a tremendous role in providing goods, services, and programs to Calgarians. Our population is aging, both globally and locally, and businesses can benefit from being ready to meet the needs of older adults in an aging marketplace.

To become an Age-Friendly Business, businesses complete a checklist and submit their application online. Once approved, they’re recognized as part of Calgary’s age-friendly network and included in a map to help older adults plan trips and errands around the city. For more information, visit calgary.ca/AFB.

“When we design our community with seniors in mind, we design a better city,” says Cheryl Joynt, manager of social development in Calgary Neighbourhoods “Being an age-friendly business means you’re open and accessible not just to seniors, but also to families with young children, people with limited mobility or accessibility needs, new Canadians – everyone!”

The Age-Friendly Calgary Steering Committee also released their second annual Report to the Community on the progress of the Seniors Age-Friendly Strategy and implementation Plan 2015-2018. The City’s celebration included demonstrations of seniors’ activities, a rain art activity and examples of businesses participating in the age-friendly initiative.

Find events and activities to celebrate Seniors’ Week

With a variety of events across Calgary, it’s easy to plan some special time to connect with the older adults in your life.

Some events are specifically for seniors, while others are for the whole family to enjoy. There are also conversation cafes to join and address the issue of elder abuse in the lead up to the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event on June 15.

You can find the most up-to-date list of events online. Check out all the events and find your own special way to celebrate the older adults in your life.

In June we celebrate the special seniors in our lives

Seniors are an important part of our community and every year, from June 6 to 12 during Seniors’ Week, we celebrate their contributions to making Calgary a great place to live.

Province of Alberta recognizes Calgary as an age-friendly city

This year, Seniors’ Week kicked off in Calgary’s Municipal Building with the placement of a plaque recognizing Calgary as an age-friendly city.

Find an event near you

With a variety of events across Calgary, this week is a chance to spend some time celebrating the older adults in our lives, thanking them for the difference they make. There are dozens of events being held across the city all week long.

Some events are specifically for seniors, while others are for the whole family to enjoy. As well, there will be several conversation cafes for you to join and talk about how to address the issue of elder abuse in the lead up to the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event on June 15.

Seniors take part in staying active during Seniors' Week

This year, the Age-Friendly Calgary Steering Committee has released their first annual Report to the Community on the progress of the Seniors Age-Friendly Strategy and implementation Plan 2015-2018.

You can find the most up-to-date list of events (including conversation cafes) online. Stay informed by following the Seniors’ Week Facebook event page. Check out all the events and find your own special way to celebrate the older adults in your life.

However you chose to celebrate, please share your stories and photos with us on our Seniors' Week Facebook event page or on Twitter, using the hashtag #yycseniors.

Healthy citizens make for a healthy Calgary

Let’s get moving YYC.  It’s National Health and Fitness Day this June 4, a cross-Canada initiative which encourages all Canadians to get active the first Saturday in June.

“We are very lucky in Calgary to have such a wide variety of recreation and fitness opportunities,” says Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “No matter your interest, there’s an opportunity for all Calgarians to celebrate National Health and Fitness Day.”

To help keep health and fitness top of mind, Mayor Nenshi proclaimed Saturday, June 4, as National Health and Fitness Day, here in Calgary.

Benefits of staying active

Adding just 30 minutes of activity per day can significantly improve your physical and mental health. Benefits can include cardiovascular health, weight management, strong bones and muscles, and reduced risk of chronic illness. Physical activity is an important part of a daily regimen for well-being and a great way to boost your energy.

Active Aging with Seniors Week activities

No matter your age or ability, we, along with our recreation partners, offer hundreds of registered, drop-in and other unstructured activities for you to get and stay active.

In fact, our commitment to Calgary’s older adults can be found in our Active Aging Strategy – which ensures there’s plenty of opportunities for Calgarians of all ages to remain physically, creatively and socially engaged.

Watch for more opportunities to get active during Seniors Week - next week June 6- 12. What are you waiting for?

Need inspiration to be more active?

The diversity of the opportunities is as varied as our facilities. Visit any one of our 12 pools, 13 athletic parks, eight golf courses, two leisure centres, art centres, mobile or permanent skateparks, and arenas (just to list a few), and show your commitment to health and fitness.

Need more ideas? Check out our summer fun list or #GetMovingYYC.

Submitted by Lisa Fleece, Calgary Recreation

Calgary set to improve with age

We’re all getting older. In fact, by 2036 nearly one in five Calgarians will be a senior. This growing population means we need to plan for how our communities will promote healthy, active aging, and ensure older adults are able to maintain their independence through access to the support they need.

Today, The City of Calgary gathered with its partners in developing an Age-Friendly Strategy to celebrate the milestones reached to date: Council’s endorsement of the plan and the Province’s recognition of Calgary for its work in contributing to an Age-Friendly Alberta.



To help build the strategy and implementation plan, we reached out to older adults, caregivers, community groups and other stakeholders in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Working together, we identified six priority areas that are now set to be implemented.

1. Access to information and services
2. Community support and health
3. Housing
4. Participation and inclusion
5. Prevention of and response to elder abuse
6. Transportation and mobility

Learn more about the plan and ways you can support Calgary’s older adults at calgary.ca/agefriendly.

Submitted by Peter Jacoby, Community & Neighbourhood Services

Celebrate Calgary seniors during Seniors’ Week

They’ve helped to build our city, our businesses and our communities. They sit on boards and committees, they’re highly involved in community and charity work, and they mentor and care for neighbours, friends and family.

June 1 to 7 is Seniors’ Week, a time to recognize the older adults in your life and the many ways they make a difference every day. To help celebrate Calgary seniors, various events  are being held across the city all week long. Some events are specifically for seniors, others are for the whole family to enjoy along with their elder friends or family members.

The most up-to-date list of events is online, but printed versions are available for pick up at all Calgary community associations and several seniors’ centres. And you can always contact 311 for information. Or find your own special way to celebrate the older adults in your life.

Either way, share your celebration stories and photos with us on our Seniors' Week Facebook Event page or on Twitter, using the hashtag #yycseniors.


Seniors’ Week is an annual designation by the Province of Alberta, supported by The City of Calgary through a proclamation by Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

For more information on Seniors’ Week and the services we offer seniors visit calgary.ca/seniors.