Communication Mechanisms for Delivering Information to Seniors in a Changing Small Town Context

Abstract

The settlement landscape of northern British Columbia is comprised of many small and dispersed resource towns that were designed through the 1960s and 1970s to attract young labour and their families. Over the past three decades, industrial restructuring and labour shedding technologies has prompted an out-migration of young families and an ageing-in-place of the existing workforce. The retirement experiences of older residents who remain in these places, however, have been challenged by neoliberal-inspired „structural? changes in services and supports. The constant change in services, and limited flow of information about such changes, can result in frustration amongst older residents attempting to access services and supports. Drawing upon 74 key informant interviews with seniors and service providers in Terrace, BC, we explore problems associated with communication strategies that limit seniors? access to needed supports. Our findings provide a foundation to develop responsive institutional capacities and strengthen new multi-faceted communication approaches to address seniors? needs in rapidly changing places. As there is great diversity amongst seniors in small towns, it will be important for service providers to use multiple communication tools, engage in two-way dialogue activities, and work collectively to collate information about local and regional service supports as part of an efficient and effective communications strategy. Keywords: resource towns, seniors, services, restructuring, communication, Canada