Ontario
What difference does it make?
- Helps seniors navigate many systems to obtain the services/resources they need.
- Helps to increase awareness re: available community resources
- Increases seniors’ knowledge and skill regarding cooking for one, and making low cost simple nutritious meals
- Increases senior’s knowledge and skills regarding the importance of physical activity in relation to good health and preventing falls.
- Initiates activities to help provide a forum for socialization in addition to skill building.
What are some successes?
- Sustainability of some groups – seniors meeting independently
- Seniors accessing resources
- Fostering relationships between two seniors’ buildings that historically did not get along
- Building community partnerships
What challenges/risks does the target population face?
- Low literacy levels
- Low income
- Inadequate transportation
- Lack of health benefits for seniors
What changes would help to overcome the challenges?
- Higher income for seniors so they don’t have to live in poverty
- Improved benefits/coverage for seniors’ health care needs
- More affordable, accessible transportation
What difference does it make?
- Addresses the determinants of health by breaking down barriers and encouraging healthy living
- Empowers our community members to achieve better health
- Improves community capacity
What are some successes?
- Community partnerships
- Empowerment of multicultural communities
- Improved access to programs and services
What challenges/risks does the target population face?
- Language barriers
- Low income
- Inadequate transportation
- Limited social supports
- Low literacy levels
What are supports that would help to address the challenges/risks?
- As above
What makes our work rewarding?
- Being able to support and influence our community toward a healthier lifestyle
What does the CHW do?
The Latin American Women Support Organization (LAZO), is a non-profit organization that provides services in Spanish in Canada's capital, the region of Ottawa-Gatineau.
What difference does it make?
We provide peer to peer support for multicultural communities in Hamilton. We work with community partners to address the determinants of health by breaking down barriers and encouraging healthy living. Our goal is to improve immigrant health through partnerships, education, and building community capacity.
What are some successes?
The woman of Hispanic or Latin American origin residing in Canada is aware that her roots, her language and her culture are an integral part of her identity, and only by being proud of them can they be integrated in a harmonious way to the Canadian society, promoting Diversity as a philosophy.
Women of Hispanic or Latin American origin must fight for an equal society in which the Latino community has equal access to services and rights, in an atmosphere of cooperation and contribution to the country that has open their arms to welcome them. She must be a woman leader, willing to grow and contribute as an individual, to her family, to the community and to Canada.
