Rationale and Background

Background

Isolated seniors have long been a concern to the community.  A three-year research project in the mid-‘90s by City of Ottawa Public Health and the Community Health Research Unit, University of Ottawa (Moyer et al), concluded that approximately 10 per cent of Ottawa’s senior population were isolated or at risk of becoming isolated.  The project examined the characteristics of the population and developed an approach to address the issue. 

The Beginning

In 2003, a group of key stakeholders – Help the Aged (Canada), City of Ottawa Public Health, The Good Companions – Community Support Services and the Interfaith Network – identified a need for a concerted and collaborative effort to respond to the needs of isolated seniors, or those at risk of becoming isolated.  A pilot project called Reaching Out To Isolated Seniors (ROTIS) was developed and implemented within the service area of The Good Companions – Community Support Services.

Today

The pilot project expanded city-wide in November, 2005.  The network provides a single access number for members of the public to call if they are concerned about a senior.  It raises pubic awareness and provides education about the risk factors of isolation and encourages the community to address the issue.

Statistics

This network is based on the approach that was developed in the research project, that is, one-on-one and community interventions.  The statistic of one in ten, or 9,000 seniors in Ottawa that are experiencing increased solitude and isolation was confirmed by subsequent literature reviews and more recently, by a survey conducted in 2004 by Successful Aging Ottawa.

In 2001, there were 89,000 people aged 65 and older in the newly amalgamated City of Ottawa, 11.5% of the total population.  By 2021, there will be 270,000, nearly 22% of the total and the numbers are going to continuously increase.