Canada’s Housing Co-ops Celebrate National Seniors Day

Published September 13, 2018

October 1 is National Seniors Day, an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of seniors in our families, our lives and our co-op communities.

Housing co-ops can consider ways to recognize and support older co-op members. Some ideas include:

• planning a celebratory event,
• screening CHF Canada’s Aging in Place video
• contacting your mayor or municipal councillor to find out if they are making a proclamation for National Seniors Day. If they haven’t, you can make a request on behalf of your co-op using CHF Canada’s proclamation template and letter,
• or just taking the time to check in with an older person in your co-op who could benefit from support or a social visit.

Regional federations, including the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT), Co-operative Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC), , the Peel Halton Co-op Housing Federation (PHCHF), and the Co-operative Housing Association of Eastern Ontario (CHASEO) offer Century of Co-operation awards to recognize members for their long commitment to co-op housing. To be eligible for this award, a member’s age, plus the years they’ve lived in housing co-ops, must add up to 100 or greater. Co-op members can apply for themselves or on behalf of another member who qualifies for this award.

“The idea was to recognize long-term residents,” said Tom Clement, Executive Director of CHFT, where the idea for the awards originated. “Co-ops are a big part of people’s lives. It’s where they chose to live and spend a good deal of their time. It’s proven to be a very popular award.”

What is your co-op doing to celebrate National Seniors Day? We invite you to post your plans on CHF Canada’s Facebook page or Twitter or email them to info@chfcanada.coop.