Conceptualizing age-friendly communities for Saskatoon's Chinese-Canadian older adults

Abstract

With the demographic composition of Canadian cities in constant motion in terms of both the age and ethnicity of their residents, urban geographers must create frameworks of inclusion that recognize the intersecting needs of these postmodern landscapes. While the social and environmental necessities of older adults in urban centres are increasingly met through the production and maintenance of age-friendly communities, urban geographers must question whether these models are accessible and beneficial to older adult members of the visible- minority population. The Chinese-Canadian community, which has faced extensive discrimination and racism across history and within current social and institutional platforms, hosts an older adult cohort at particular risk of exclusion from health and social services, housing, economic stability and social inclusion. The intent of this research is to determine whether age-friendly community initiatives are indeed accessible to Chinese-Canadian older adults, while helping to re-conceptualize more ethnically-inclusive age-friendly paradigms.

Through a series of semi-structured interviews within Saskatoon’s Chinese-Canadian community, this work highlights sources of spatial, social and generational exclusion, recognizes the positive attributes of culturally homogenous housing and recreational organizations, and identifies barriers to the effectiveness of existing age-friendly community models surrounding both transportation and healthcare needs. Following a thorough examination of Saskatoon’s Chinese-Canadian community, this research theorizes new frameworks that enable more inclusive and equitable approaches, highlighting the importance of cultural and linguistic inclusivity in existing age-related programs, the benefits of institutional recognition and support of culturally-catered organizations, and the need for broader social and historic inclusion of Chinese-Canadian older adults within the Saskatoon community. In doing so, this research not only informs the manner whereby age-friendly communities are conceptualized, but helps to bring the needs of Saskatoon’s Chinese-Canadian demographic to the forefront of community development practice and application.