“If you look at the demographics, it is necessary to become a united population,” said the 83-year-old Summerside resident.
Morneau works with the Age-Friendly City committee as well as the East Prince Seniors Initiative and the person-to-person volunteer program.
“We need to make sure services and products are available to all ages. It’s necessary for a community to thrive.
“It would be great to see more initiatives to bring people together and unite the population,” he said.
On Thursday, the committee presented its age-friendly business awards to over 60 businesses in Summerside and area who participated in training sessions created by the committee.
Carrie Caunce, who works with the committee, said the initiative is a worldwide project put forth by the World Health Organization.
“It’s a five-year plan that we’re working on. The first year was creating a committee to design ways to work with seniors and the community. Next was producing a report where people went out into the community and asked seniors about the strength, gaps, faults and opportunities of areas in the city.”
Currently, the committee is nearing the end of the third year.
“Now we’re working on generating a second report that determines a way to act on the suggestions from the previous report and determine what is feasible in our city.
“We want to build social connections to the best of our abilities. And that starts with creating a series of atmospheres where seniors can feel confident to do things independently in our community.”
“If you look at the demographics, it is necessary to become a united population,” said the 83-year-old Summerside resident.
Morneau works with the Age-Friendly City committee as well as the East Prince Seniors Initiative and the person-to-person volunteer program.
“We need to make sure services and products are available to all ages. It’s necessary for a community to thrive.
“It would be great to see more initiatives to bring people together and unite the population,” he said.
On Thursday, the committee presented its age-friendly business awards to over 60 businesses in Summerside and area who participated in training sessions created by the committee.
Carrie Caunce, who works with the committee, said the initiative is a worldwide project put forth by the World Health Organization.
“It’s a five-year plan that we’re working on. The first year was creating a committee to design ways to work with seniors and the community. Next was producing a report where people went out into the community and asked seniors about the strength, gaps, faults and opportunities of areas in the city.”
Currently, the committee is nearing the end of the third year.
“Now we’re working on generating a second report that determines a way to act on the suggestions from the previous report and determine what is feasible in our city.
“We want to build social connections to the best of our abilities. And that starts with creating a series of atmospheres where seniors can feel confident to do things independently in our community.”
Award recipients included Blythe Martin, one of the co-owners of The Physio Centre, and the centre’s office manager Heather Johnston.
“We’re in the business of helping people, and we recognize that a large percentage of Summerside and area is comprised of seniors. It would be discriminatory not to be age-friendly,” said Martin.
Johnston agreed. “Even a good portion of our clients are seniors so it made sense to become an age-friendly business.”
“The training allowed us to learn things that we may have otherwise overlooked. We met with one of the seniors’ ambassadors from the committee and watched a presentation, which provided us with some easy ways to create a more accessible environment for seniors, and people of all ages.”
Nikkie Gallant, the administrative and curatorial assistant at Eptek Art and Culture Centre, who accepted the age-friendly certificate for the centre, said making facilities and services age-friendly impacts everyone, not just seniors.
“Accessibility in general is important in any situation. Businesses that decide to become age-friendly, don’t just help seniors, they will help everybody.
“It’s important to be inclusive of all people. We want to make sure the community we are serving feels like their comfort and confidence matter.”
Age-friendly award winners
– Mae’s Alterations
– Academy of Learning
– The Style Salon
– On the Fly Convenience
– Slemon Park Hotel and Conference Centre
– Shoppers Drug Mart
– Silver Fox Entertainment Complex
– Murphy’s Summerside Pharmacies
– Home Instead Senior Care
– Lawton’s Drugs
– Summerside Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership
– Jars of Clay Café
– Visual Printing
– The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy
– fiveelevenwest
– Grecco Pizza
– Water Street Bakery and Deli
– Loyalist Lakeview Resort
– Summerside Hyundai
– Sport Chek
– Eclipse
– Eptek Art and Culture Centre
– City of Summerside (Finance)
– D. Alex MacDonald Ltd.
– The Physio Centre
– Lockhart’s Auto service
– Pet Valu
– First Choice Haircutters
– Alia N Tan Jay
– Local 311
– Hickey and Hyndman Insurance Ltd.
– Jewellery Plus
– Culture Summerside
– Sheen’s for Shoes
– Edge 251
– Tickle Trunk
– Downtown Laundry
– The BIG MUG
– China Star Restaurant
– Holman’s Ice Cream Parlor
– CIBC
– Reid’s Lawn Care
– Island Condos
– Tina Russell Consulting
– HMS Office Supplies
– Vince Adams Chiropractor
– Summerside Inn and Breakfast
– Harbourfront Theatre
– Go Girl! Fashions and Accessories
– Pro Hardwar and Dominion Wholesale
– Star Café
– Thomas Edison Electric
– Sunny’s Dairy Bar
– Quality Inn
– Callbeck’s Home Hardware Building Centre
– Downtown Convenience
– Peter J Pierre Clinical Psychologist
– Pizza Delight
– Granville Street Esso
– P.E.I.wear
– Mel’s Petro-Canada