International Year of the Older Person
Background
The United Nations officially declared 1999 as the International
Year of Older Persons (IYOP). In response to this yearlong event,
Health Canada developed programs to promote healthy living to older
Canadians.
Campaign Description
International Year of Older Persons Seniors Travel Program
The "International Year of Older Persons Seniors Travel Program" saw
the development of low cost or no-cost travel for seniors during
1999. "Easy Going: A Senior-Friendly Guide to Travel",
was developed as part of the program. The guide offered practical
information on planning for travel, health tips related to travel,
and information on how to make travel most enjoyable. Partnerships
were developed with Air Canada, Greyhound Canada and VIA Rail,
which each offered discount coupons for seniors travelling in Canada.
Both Easy Going" and the discount coupons were available by
calling a 1-800 number. "Easy Going: A Senior-Friendly Guide
to Travel" is still available online on the  Canadian
International Year of Older Persons Web site.
Golden Gardens Program
Health Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation
(CWF) invited seniors' groups to develop Golden Gardens - wildlife
gardens in their communities. The benefits of this program are
threefold: the seniors who worked on the gardens were given an
excellent opportunity to remain or become physically active; the
gardens themselves improved the wildlife habitat surrounding schools
and parks; and involving both seniors and youth works (who were
encouraged to assist the seniors) helped bridge the generation
gap and create stronger communities. In order to reach seniors
across the country, a twenty-four page gardening booklet was developed
and was distributed with application forms for small funding grants.
These materials were sent directly to seniors’ organizations.
Other promotional efforts took place through the Canadian Wildlife
Federation Magazine and Good Times/Le Bel Age magazine. Over the
course of the IYOP year a total of 461 golden gardens were created.
Research Monitoring and Evaluation
An evaluation of International Year of Older Persons Seniors Travel
Program had the following findings:
- Seventy thousand travel coupon packages were distributed
and seniors used 23,291 coupons.
- Twenty-four percent of survey respondents using the
coupons stated that they would not have travelled without the
Travel Program
- Over half of those interviewed stated that they would
be more likely to travel over the next year as result of the
Seniors Travel Program.
-
Eighty-three percent rated the IYOP Travel Program as "good" do "very
good."
The Golden Gardens Program, was such a successful model that the
International Council for Caring Communities division of the United
Nations invited Health Canada to present the Golden Gardens model
to their international conference "Aging and Urbanization" at
the UN headquarters in New York. The United Nations wanted to use
the Golden Gardens model as a model for world involvement with
IYOP.
Summary Information
| Social Marketing Objectives |
Goals of the UN’s International Year of the Older
Person included:
- Improved livelihood, security and health care
for older persons
- Recognition of mid-life as a transition to active
ageing
- Strengthened networks of family and community
caring
|
| Target Audience(s) |
Canadian Senior Citizens and their families |
| Tactics |
Several different tactics were used to deliver messages and
programs to seniors related to IYOP. Many of these were made
possible through strategic alliances.
- PSA's on the CTV network
- The Seniors Travel Program: "Easy Going: A Senior-Friendly Guide
to Travel" which incorporated monetary incentives in the form
of travel coupons
- Gardening booklet for the Golden Gardens Program.
- Promotion in "Good Times/ Le Bel Age" Magazines
- Editorial recognition in Shoppers Drug Mart advertising
materials
|
| Strategic Alliances |
Seniors Travel Program:
Air Canada, Greyhound Canada and VIA Rail offered discount coupons for seniors
travelling within Canada. Secondary partners: Readers Digest/Selection
du Reader's Digest, Good Times and Le Bel Age magazines and the Canadian
Tourism Commission.
Golden Gardens:
Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) was active in the development and promotion
of the Golden Gardens program and continues to run this program.
Other Alliances:
- Canada Post Corporation a stamp, launched an
IYOP stamp at Rideau Hall on April 12, 1999
- "Good Times/ Le Bel Age" Magazine two
pages per monthly issue in 1999 were reserved to showcase
the IYOP
- Shoppers Drug Mart assisted in promoting IYOP during four "Seniors'
Days" and editorial recognition in advertising materials throughout
the year.
- Sports and Entertainment Inc., produced and ran
three PSA's on the CTV network promoting the IYOP.
|
| Timing |
The UN Declared 1999 As the International Year of the
Older person. All activities were designed to coincide with
this year.
The Golden Gardens Program was launched on April 6th 1999
and ran through to the end of March 2000. The Canadian Wildlife
Federation has continues to run the Golden Gardens program. |
| Contact |
For more information on this campaign please e-mail marketing@hc-sc.gc.ca. |
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