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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, June 15, 2004 . 487 8828 New housing checklist aims to mpov quali*ty of i*fe for Halton-area senieors By JASON MISNER Special to The Champion Anewly-unveiled housing checklist for Halton's 40,000-plus seniors is being heralded as an effective to way to help themn maintain their much-valued mndependence and foster community spirit. After nearly a year of dogged work sifting through piles of information, Haton's elderly services advisory committee (ESAC) has launched what it cails a housing checklist for seniors. The unique, glossy 39-page bookiet takes sen- iors through a host of questions to assess whether there are any safety impediments in their current housing accommodations or in a new house/apartment they're considering moving into. The book assesses conditions in the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, balcony and Iaundry room. It asks, "Do the hallways and corridors have non-slip corridors?" "Can the laundry room accommodate a wheel- chair or walker?" Is there a light switch juat inside the doorway to the roomn adjoining the balcony?" The checklist also takes the person outsidc of the home, takîng into account neighhourhood characteristics. It asks if the person féecs safe in the neighhorhood or if the streets are well lit. The insent of the checklist is to help seniors and other age groups for that matter determine of they're living in, or moving to, as safe and appropriate an envîronment as possible, as well as to extend the length of time they live in their home. "They aIl want to stay independent in the com- mmity, everybody wants to stay in their home," said Sue Haggith, cummîunity develupment cu- ordinator with Halton's social and communisy services department, prior to the launching of the programn at Bonnie Place, a seniors' residence, on Claridgc Road iniBurlington. There are accessibility checklists out there, but what ESAC wanted to do was add a social corn- ponient like neigbourhood considerations, Ms Haggith added. ESAC chair Carole Ward said in a speech to the modest crowd that the checklist "is an excel- lent step in helpmng improve the quality of life for seniors." Quality of life is a theme regional politicians and bureaucrats have been pounding on for some timne. Adelina Urbanaki, Halton's commissioner of community and social services, told thc crowd that I prediet this bookiet will be the stuf of Icgcnd." In an interview afierward, she acknowledgcd that quality of ife for seniors is critical. "It's everything," she said. She said part of that includcs thc availabiity of affordable housing, wbich she said seniors have told thc Region "there isn't enough of." She said thc Region is working on that, look- ing into federal govemmnent programs, for examn- ple, to sec what can be donc. Ms Urbanski noted Uic Ontario budget includ- cd a "verbal commitmnent" to addressing afford- able housing but didn't provide any real detail. "At Uic end of Uic day we'd like more units." ESAC operates on an annual budget of around $100,000. Jack Shirley, an 82-year-old Oakvillc resident and ESAC member, said ke has alrcady used Uic checklist and found some Uings in his home of 22 years he shares with bis wife, Uiat got his attention. For example, Uieir bathrooms don't have grab bars and there are two steps Uiat lead to Uic front door. "There's no reason we cnuldn't have had Uiat wiUi a slope," Mr. Shirley told Uic crowd. "(Me checklist) is someUiing Uiat can rcally ke help- fui.,, Jenssifer SmiUi-MilIcr, chair of Uic housing checklist project, said one of Uic biggest chal- lenges in producing Uic booklet was knowing when to stop. "We've could have kept going and going and going," she said after Uic launch, wiUi a slight laugh. Fcedback from seniors and Uieir families and friends and Uic Internet were used to corne up wiUi Uic data. "It was a matter of finding it and pufling it togeUicr," Ms Smith-Miller said. The chccklist can also ke used by developers to help themn whcn dcsigning homes. To get a free copy of Uic checklist, cail Uic Region at (905) 825-6000. W7\CQGECO" Cogeco Cable Programming Schedule - Tuesday, June 15 - Monday, June 21, 2004 ,lm* Lmal Television Channel 14 www.cogeco.ca SR r lugdI! i p pn Pussed In! 5ç>n 6rn PgIn, 5r,6mP55Odl 40pm TCgwS s ý»s pn pr 4ge m & T7HLONSUDO30p<m Eay Wee Editon aliWe d in 73 EaSYWMSEMOOS A73&5p30pm ateWe P55 dmS F40 m booh9 -&737çm LeWeek Edffi NOT A5O TDO.:0m Sns eShaMase 5 pm Peop4oSpeak inHaton 5305o EectonCandidate 80e, Mikn eJÇ HRmSpeedway Racg 5p7 p 665 5 305c 64eCaSS 6305, estT Oee ( j 63pe e 7 3,0pm ~ Pugged & 7305-, atae6EloeS Caidte5 800pet H TV ccHI6 I 7005m e Inspedeea 35 MtaerentWanddats Moin7 - te WMeEdton 5s spm Be Inspred 635 Faces,-Beso Faces 8:0pm aftn li Concl - 7:0pm6:305e, Seceos S65ceses Laurier Plaza JS 5ç ut6pe<e> 705pm E 1@ CniaSt 76305en FacseBoinHailon 500 Laurier Avenue 8005e, Monstroto :o05em FmEesC'ofBFO Milton, ON L91 4R3 CKdnNeW 90"8-9306 'TVCog.cosïHaton Canddafts Mntlng - U»v, Fr1 day 8pm"