Our Impact
Removing barriers that prevent older persons from leading healthy and dignified lives
HelpAge Canada partners with community-based seniors’ services (CBSS) organizations across Canada and abroad to improve the quality of life of older persons in their communities. The growing network of frontline organizations have increasing needs for funding and support to better respond to those facing challenges as they age. HelpAge Canada uses its reach to better support organizations providing critical services to older people.
In rental revenue contributing to the financial security of older homeowners through Canada HomeShare
Over 8,500 aging Canadians provided with greater access to social, well-being support
Organizations have mapped the gaps in transportation for older Canadians
$3.8M
Over $3.8 million committed to humanitarian projects that safeguard the health and safety of older people in over a dozen countries
Older Canadians provided with digital access and tech support
Supporting older adults aging in place by building bridges between generations
Thanks to our donors, partners, and stakeholders, we can support older Canadians’ choice to age in place.
For more on how HelpAge Canada supports aging people to stay in their homes – learn about our Canada HomeShare program.
Everyone should be able to live comfortably in a place they call home. Supporting older Canadians to age at home, while also providing affordable housing for students, encourages strong intergenerational relationships that are foundational in reducing isolation and loneliness, and offers a unique opportunity to open dialogue between younger and older generations.
We collaborate with esteemed universities and licensed social workers across Canada, who facilitate strong, positive relationships between older Canadians and students.
With a focus on stomping out the social isolation that greatly affects older people’s lives, we provide local organizations with key resources to implement Canada HomeShare – a program that facilitates relationships between younger and older generations. Older adults become less isolated with the company of a roommate and receive support with daily household tasks, while students benefit from the value of an intergenerational friendship and have an affordable place to live while in school.
Providing access to age-friendly transportation, social programming, technology, and mobility devices so that older people can stay connected and fully participate in the world around them.
Find out more on how HelpAge Canada supports older people’s health and wellness – learn about our Age Better program.
Anyone can become socially isolated when challenges exceed personal resources and available support from friends, family, and government. Supporting the health and wellness of older adults means leaving no one behind.
We know that financial instability is directly connected to poorer health outcomes, and low well-being is one of the primary contributors to isolation and loneliness. We enhance the quality of life of older people by increasing access to mobility and communication equipment, social programming, and essential medical care.
We’re breaking down barriers so that older people from coast to coast to coast feel uplifted in their communities:
- Over $742,000 disbursed to local community organizations
- More than 8,500 underserved older Canadians directly benefiting from support
- $63,000 directed to men’s initiatives countering isolation, loneliness, and depression
“Government funding [sometimes] covers the basics of a wheelchair, [depending which province you are in and the supplies available], but not things like an elevating device, and I do not have the resources to cover these costs. The fact that the chair elevates has made my life easier in so many ways. Cooking has always been a problem – although I can get my wheelchair under my stove top, I can’t see what’s in the pot and the burners are just above neck level. This chair means I am higher and therefore safer.
The most important improvement is being eye level with other people. To have conversations with people at eye level or be at a crowded event and see what the crowd is seeing is a huge boost to how I feel about myself. These may seem like small changes, but they have enhanced my independence and self‐esteem, so to me, they are invaluable.”
Nancy Kelly, Ottawa, ON
Inspiring and providing innovative inclusive transportation solutions for aging communities
Click here for more on how HelpAge Canada has researched and awarded inclusive transportation solutions for aging communities.
Older Canadians struggle with patchwork transportation systems that do not meet them when, where, and how they need it. Barriers to mobility can have a great impact on a person’s overall health and quality of life. We are investing in inclusive transportation so that older Canadians can access essential services and enjoy the freedom that accessible transportation options provide, no matter where they live.
Can Move has seen:
- 131 organizations mapped the gaps in transportation for older Canadians
- $30,000 awarded to six local innovative transportation solutions
- 240 attendees at the first-ever National Seniors Transportation Innovation Summit
“We benefited from HelpAge Canada’s support us to assist clients’ travel for medical services, grocery, and prescription pick-up to the neighboring communities. As a community that has limited services, HelpAge Canada’s support was instrumental in assisting our older residents’ health and wellness.”
Angela Robertson, Granisle Better at Home, Lower Mainland, BC
Increasing digital access for older Canadians, so that no one is left behind or left out in our increasingly digital world.
Learn how HelpAge Canada supports access to digital literacy skills for older Canadians – learn about our Let’s Connect program
In today’s increasingly digital world, accessing services, building relationships, sharing knowledge, and discovering new things happens with the support of technology. Lower income older adults deserve support in their digital learning journey, so that they can navigate online spaces safely and confidently, especially since digital literacy can help curb the deep social disconnect that older adults often feel.
Working alongside community-based seniors’ services organizations, we are providing devices and digital literacy training so that older adults can build the proficiency they need to connect to their family, friends, and community via the world wide web. Our donors, partners, and stakeholders make it possible for us to bring the digital world to older adults, from the biggest cities to the smallest towns across Canada.
We’ve improved digital literacy among older Canadians by:
- Providing devices, digital coaches, and technical support to over 800 older Canadians
- Establishing virtual programming in 29 British Columbia communities, reaching thousands of older people
- Connecting 390 Elders in 8 Nunavut communities to build digital skills with local youth
Johnny, BC Digital Learning Pilot Project, Vancouver, BC
“Nothing but praise for the volunteer who led me through my sessions. She was an awesome trainer and I really appreciated that she was on time and knew the answers to all of my questions. I’m very happy and thankful for her.”
Kim, Thunder Bay, ON
HelpAge Canada works closely with partners around the world to provide programs like Sponsor A Grandparent and Global Response that provide support for the basic human needs of older adults and respond to urgent crisis and humanitarian needs of the aging populations in regions facing violence, displacement, and natural disasters.
Click here for more on HelpAge Canada’s
global initiatives
HelpAge Canada intervenes where the need for humanitarian support is most urgent, currently supporting programs in Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Pakistan.
- 84,000 older Ethiopian refugees received nutritional and healthcare support with $1.2 million raised for a large-scale relief effort for 2021-22
- Close to $5 million in humanitarian relief reached 7,700 older Ukrainians and their families fleeing war zones in 2021-22
Our Impact in Eastern Ukraine
Anastasia Egorovna,
Luhansk
Anastasia Egorovna lived in the Luhansk region of Ukraine and worked in a factory for most of her life. After the deaths of her husband and older son, Anastasia’s health took a turn for the worse and she suffered a stroke, leaving her bedridden. Today, she lives with her younger son and they live off her pension.
HelpAge connected Anastasia with a support group of volunteers who visit her regularly. In addition to relief supplies she received, Anastasia takes great comfort in the company and support from the community who make her feel less alone.
our Impact in Ethiopia
Shigute, 73,
Meki, Ethiopia
“The doctor and the nurses in the clinic tested my eyes with their machines and gave me glasses. I was so happy to learn my problem could be fixed with simple glasses. When I put them on, I can see everything that is close to me. I can return to my daily farming routine with new and full energy,”
our Impact in Pakistan
Shah Murad, 72,
Mirpur, Pakistan
“We’ve faced a lot of problems. Our house was swept away by this flood, it’s all now completely flattened. After the flood, we had a fever and skin conditions, and we couldn’t get any medicine, but now doctors have visited us and we are getting medicine for free. HelpAge gave me a comforter, a pillow, and two containers for clean water.”
Click here for more on HelpAge Canada’s
global initiatives
Sponsor A Grandparent supports health and well-being for older adults in Haiti, Dominica, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, and Jamaica.
- Over $3M raised to sponsor grandparents abroad since program inception
- 15 partner organizations in Dominica, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Kenya, and Sri Lanka
In 2021-2022 alone….
- 409 individuals supporting this program
- 387 individuals sponsoring Grandparents
- $245,599 donations from individuals
“The destruction of the main residence caused by the August 14, 2021 earthquake is our biggest challenge. Residents of our care home have been moved to a temporary facility, but thanks to your support, we are able to provide special comforts and meet the needs of our grans.”
REV. P. ALFRED CHARPENTIE OMI, Foyer St. Etienne, Les Cayes, Haiti
Donations
90% of all donations to HelpAge Canada go directly to our programming at home and globally, with 6.7% towards administration costs, and 2% towards fundraising costs. Your contributions are crucial to provide the support, funding, leadership, and research to achieve healthy aging for all.
Join us in changing the lives of older people and their communities
Support Us
We appreciate the support of our generous donors in helping us create a world in which all older persons lead secure, healthy, active and dignified lived.