55+/Seniors Planning and Strategy Development
Planning and strategic development for the 55+ population reflects current and future trends and issues impacting seniors; incorporates feedback and input from seniors themselves, their families and caregivers and those that work with seniors through engagement activities and provides a guide and framework for addressing the service and program delivery needs of a growing seniors population in Richmond.
Seniors Strategy 
The City is currently in the process of developing a new 10 year Seniors Strategy to replace the two major plans for seniors that are nearing the end of their life cycles: The 2015-2020 Seniors Service Plan and the 2015-2020 Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan. The development of a Seniors Strategy will be based on learnings from previous achievements and today’s community context, research and best practices, and key stakeholder and public engagement findings. The Strategy will include a strategic framework with actions and timelines that will guide those who work with 55+ in Richmond.
Phases of Development
1. Phase One: Stakeholder Advisory Committee formation, background research and development of Guiding Principles
2. Phase Two: Key stakeholder engagement and development of draft strategic actions
3. Phase Three: Public engagement
4. Phase Four: Finalize Seniors Strategy
Guiding Principles
The following Guiding Principles are proposed to help guide the project and inform the development of a draft Seniors Strategy for Richmond:
1. Complement City and seniors-serving organizations’ strategies, plans and practices that address the needs of the 55+ years population to keep seniors active, healthy, feeling safe and connected to their communities.
2. Develop actions that are culturally-appropriate, promote accessibility and inclusion, and reflect the unique diversity of seniors aged 55+ years.
3. Promote and facilitate active engagement of a diverse cross-section of seniors aged 55+ years and seniors-serving organizations in the design, implementation and evaluation of the Seniors Strategy, allowing for ongoing and accessible opportunities for feedback.
4. Ensure ongoing, collaborative cross-sector partnerships in the creation, implementation, evaluation and accountability of the Seniors Strategy.
5. Develop actions that are based on research and best practices, realistic and achievable, and measurable in the context of available resources and are responsive to current and future needs and demographic trends.
The following organizations are represented on the Stakeholder Committee:
- City of Richmond
- Community Association and Society staff
- Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee
- Vancouver Coastal Health
- Richmond Public Library
- Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives
- SUCCESS
- Richmond Multicultural Community Services
- Richmond Centre for Disability
- Richmond Addiction Services Society
and Healthy Living - Yearly Updates
With a vision to be a nurturing, connected community that promotes healthy and active aging, the City of Richmond, with public input, has created an updated Seniors Service Plan.
The Seniors Service Plan: Active and Healthy Living 2015-2020 represents a comprehensive update of the 2008-2012 Older Adults Service Plan and sets the goals and actions for services and programs for seniors in Richmond to the year 2020. The 2015-2020 Service Plan was adopted by Council on December 14, 2015.
The Seniors Service Plan updates summarize the progress made towards achieving the goals of the Seniors Service Plan and supports the Plan's vision for Richmond to be a nurturing connected community that promotes healthy and active aging.
2015-2020 Seniors Service Plan
2020 Seniors Service Plan Update
2019 Seniors Service Plan Update
2018 Seniors Service Plan Update
2017 Seniors Service Plan Update
2016 Seniors Service Plan Update
On September 23, 2019, City Council adopted the Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan 2019 for Richmond. The Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan is comprised of 25 actions categorized into four strategic directions to be implemented over the next five years.The actions outlined in the Plan will ensure Richmond residents living with dementia and their families and caregivers are included, supported and valued and will continue to be active and engaged with their community.
Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan
The Age-Friendly Cities initiative, started by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006, was designed to optimize the health, participation and security of older adults throughout the course of aging by encouraging communities to adapt structures and services to increase accessibility and inclusion.
Since 2009, the BC Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Union of BC Municipalities, has funded Age-Friendly projects in over 120 communities across the province, including Richmond. The City of Richmond has many Age-Friendly policies and practices in place. The PDF Document Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan, approved by Richmond City Council on March 23, 2015, builds on this foundation, bringing a more deliberate age-friendly focus to the many strategies and activities currently being pursued. The Plan identifies priority actions requiring attention over the next five years (2015-2019) and presents an implementation plan to realize the Plan’s vision “for Richmond to be the best place to age, at all stages, for all residents”. In recognition of steps taken, as well as ongoing commitment, Richmond received "Age-Friendly BC Recognition" in 2015.
Engaging Seniors in Age-Friendly Planning
The goal of the Engaging Seniors in Age-Friendly Planning project was to provide the City of Richmond and other organizations with a framework to guide the engagement of seniors in age-friendly planning and conduct similar projects in other neighbourhoods.
Funded by a 2019 Age-Friendly Communities Grant from the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), this project builds on previous Age-Friendly activities completed in Richmond including a 2015-2020 Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan, Age Friendly City designation in 2015 and the creation of a Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan in 2019.
The framework created through the Engaging Seniors in Age-Friendly planning project was based on project findings and information gathered from recruitment activities, participant surveys, and Stakeholder Committee and Neighbourhood Group meetings. This report includes an overview of project activities and outlines the steps taken to guide the engagement of seniors in age-friendly planning activities.