Item - 2017.HL19.1

The Board of Health:

1. Requested the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to develop a basic dental care plan for seniors to address this gap in primary care.

2. Requested the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to investigate the average five year delay in processing mortality data received from Statistics Canada and the Office of the Registrar General of Ontario, in order to have more timely information on cause of death in the growing population of seniors.

3. Forwarded the report (February 16, 2017) from the Medical Officer of Health to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Public Health Ontario, Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canadian Mental Health Association, Centre for Mental Health, Ontario Medical Association, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network, Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network, Central West Local Health Integration Network, Central Local Health Integration Network, Central East Local Health Integration Network, Urban Public Health Network, Canadian Public Health Association, Ontario Public Health Association, Toronto Seniors Strategy Accountability Table, and Toronto area Elderly Persons Centres for information.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) recently completed a health status report on seniors aged 65 and older in Toronto. This report provides an overview of the health of seniors in Toronto based on the most recent data available, along with some of the key risk factors, protective behaviors, and social determinants associated with healthy aging. The findings will be used by public health and community organizations to identify priority issues and guide services and policies that promote and protect the health and well-being of Toronto’s seniors.