Making the Case > Bottom Line Benefits

The population in rural Alberta is aging. Costs to municipalities, communities and organizations are rising. Services are stretched. Migration from rural to urban centres continues.

What can be done? The bottom line is that the health of older adults influences the whole rural community (including the economy).

So, do healthy people make healthy communities or vice versa? It’s hard to tell what comes first. Healthy people and healthy communities are interconnected.

The communities we live in, the culture and the social norms all influence our ability to make healthy choices.

It’s not just up to individuals to maintain healthy, active lifestyles. It takes a whole community to foster lifelong active living.

This section contains information and resources to help you make the case for improving physical activity opportunities in your community.

What’s in this Section for You?

• Why is it worth encouraging older adults to be active?

• How do rural health beliefs and issues affect physical activity?

• Why should we invest in creating healthy communities?