As Canada’s population ages and diversifies, programs that help seniors navigate and understand complex systems may play an increasingly important role in ensuring they are not left behind.
Initiatives such as The Way In (TWI), a Calgary-based navigation network, help older adults overcome a variety of hurdles by connecting them with local support services, addressing a growing challenge in Canada.
The 2025 Ageing In Canada Survey suggests that many seniors are struggling to access essential health-care services due to complex referral processes, difficulty booking appointments and limited availability of health-care providers.
Research from the Institute for Research on Public Policy also found that navigating health and social services in Canada is becoming increasingly difficult for seniors, and that doing so on their own leads to major emotional, social and economic strain.
For immigrant seniors, these barriers can be even larger.
Differences in language, culture and familiarity with Canadian institutions can make it harder to understand how the system works or where to seek help.
About The Way In
The Way In is a collaborative initiative by four social service agencies in Calgary — Carya, Calgary Seniors, Jewish Family Services and the Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens’ Association.
Together, they guide older adults through everything from rental applications to building social connections in their community.
The phone line and navigation services are free for everyone and available as long as needed.
The network also partners with Distress Centre Calgary, which handles incoming phone calls and connects Calgarians with the agency best suited to help them.
Each agency serves a different geographical area of Calgary. Carya supports the downtown and Northwest areas; Calgary Seniors serves the Northeast; Jewish Family Services supports residents south of the Elbow River; and the Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens Association assists Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking residents across the city.
“The network was created to help older adults not get lost in the system,” said Megan Hincks, manager of network partnerships at Carya.
If you are looking for information, need help with a form, experiencing elder abuse, or looking for a new activity, TWI can connect you with the support you need, she said in an interview with the Calgary Journal.
Older adults or those caring for them can find more information about TWI and all the services available on Carya’s website or by calling in.
To improve visibility and access, the network uses the Alberta Health Services language line, translates documents into multiple languages and is exploring the development of a cultural connector program.
Still, expanding outreach to diverse communities can be challenging with limited resources.
“I would like to see those relationships between ethnocultural communities and our network improve,” said Hincks.
Communication still a barrier for older new Canadians
A study about older immigrants’ access to primary health care in Canada found that they are more vulnerable to difficulties accessing healthcare due to limited health literacy, language barriers, cultural differences and structural circumstances.
Despite resources like TWI, many immigrant seniors still rely on informal support networks when trying to navigate health and social services.
Marvin Toledo, who moved from Nicaragua to Canada 46 years ago, said he often turns to community members or friends for help filling out applications or finding information about available supports.
“It’s hard sometimes to reach people,” said Toledo.
He said that getting clear answers can also be difficult, especially when the information varies depending on whom he asks.
“It’s kind of confusing because different people tell me different things,” he said.
His experience reflects a broader challenge for older adults who may struggle to navigate fragmented systems, particularly when language or cultural barriers make information harder to access.
One way navigation services can strengthen relationships with ethnocultural communities is through diversity training.
Rose Joudi, the director of gender equity, diversity, and inclusion at HelpAge Canada, a charity that supports seniors with financial literacy, social connection, and abuse prevention, says that navigation programs can be effective when staff are properly trained to understand the diverse needs of the communities they serve.
“Organizations have to be open to training their staff to be more flexible, more understanding of what inclusivity really looks like,” said Joudi.
For networks like TWI, that flexibility can help build trust with seniors who may already feel uncertain about asking for help.
Older adults, family members, or community members can call (403) 736-4677 to speak with a seniors resource specialist, who can provide information directly or refer them to the agency responsible for their area.