This qualitative study explores the conditions and experiences of older adults' ‘formal’ volunteering through non-profit organisations (NPOs) in Toronto from both organisational and individual perspectives. In spite of the ageing population and the need for NPOs to expand their services, the participation of Canadian seniors in community volunteering has been stagnant for 15 years. What organisational and structural supports might encourage the expansion of volunteering among this group? How do current administrative conditions impact upon senior volunteers? What do older adults expect to gain from community volunteering? The qualitative data collected through interviews, documents and participant observation are analysed using an inter-disciplinary framework that combines theories of the moral economy of ageing, adult development and transformative learning. The results include a socio-demographic profile of senior volunteers in 12 Toronto NPOs, and the administrative characteristics of the six organisations that engage the majority. It is argued that the self-help and transformative mechanisms embedded in community volunteering provide opportunities for retirees to sustain their self-esteem and sense of wellbeing, while cultivating ‘generativity’ in late adulthood. Promoting transformative learning enables community volunteering to provide meaningful roles for seniors, and promotes citizenship participation and the social economy in an ageing society.

The Active Ageing Framework has been adapted as a global strategy in ageing policies, practices and research over the last decade. Lifelong learning, however, has not been fully integrated into this discourse. Using survey data provided by 416 adults (aged 60 years and above) enrolled in non-formal general-interest courses in a public continuing education programme in Canada, this study examined the association between older adults’ duration of participation in the courses and their level of psychological wellbeing, while taking their age, gender, self-rated health and vulnerability level into consideration. An analytical framework was developed based on the literature of old-age vulnerabilities and the benefits of lifelong learning. Two logistic regression and trend analyses were conducted. The results indicate that older adults’ participation is independently and positively associated with their psychological wellbeing, even among those typically classified as ‘vulnerable’. This result provides additional evidence that suggests the continuous participation in non-formal lifelong learning may help sustain older adults’ psychological wellbeing. It provides older learners, even those who are most vulnerable, with a compensatory strategy to strengthen their reserve capacities, allowing them to be autonomous and fulfilled in their everyday life. The result of this study highlights the value of the strategic and unequivocal promotion of community-based non-formal lifelong learning opportunities for developing inclusive, equitable and caring active ageing societies.

In Canada, as in many countries, public continuing education of the non-vocational general interest type for people in post-work languishes on the margins of political discourse. This case study of one such traditional program for seniors run by a school board in Ontario explores the experiences of older adults and the meanings they attach to their learning. The goal is to better understand the roles and effects later life learning has in promoting health and well-being at both the individual and community levels. This study analyzes qualitative data collected through interviews, classroom observations and documents, referring to the micro, meso and macro levels of theory in adult education, psychology, health and social gerontology. The three main learning outcomes identified include: 1) the effects of enduring interest, 2) classrooms as social support networks, and 3) the awareness of the right to learn. The article examines how these outcomes function as health promoting mechanisms for individuals and communities. The results indicate the vital role played by affordable and accessible public continuing education program for retirees, especially seniors at risk. They also suggest the need for further quantitative research to measure the impact of learning on health and the quality of later life. Context Canada's aging populationThe speed of aging in Canada will accelerate over the next three decades. The portion of 'seniors' (aged 65 and over), which currently comprises about 13% of the population, will nearly double by 2036 when the last wave of baby boomers retires (Statistics Canada 2006). Although over 90% of Canadian seniors live in private households and of whom 74% describe their general health in positive terms, 91% of the same group report one or more chronic health problems and 22% need help for daily activities (National Advisory Council on Aging 2006). Despite the general improvement of the income level among seniors over the past decade (Myles 2000), certain groups-including people from lower socio-economic brackets, people with low levels of education, and widows-still have a high risk of poverty (Novak and Miya Narushima is an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario. Her research interests centre around learning and community-based activities for older adults in relation to health promotion and community development. Correspondence:

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Patient-centred care (PCC) is not a new concept; however, in recent years it has garnered increasing attention in the research literature and clinical practice. PCC in clinical practice has been found to improve clinical outcomes, resource allocation, and the patient experience. In response to the need for PCC and quality in healthcare, the Ontario, Canada government developed the Excellent Care for All Act (ECFAA) in 2010. The ECFAA imposes six obligations to Ontario hospitals, one of which is developing and publishing a Patient Declaration of Values (PDoV). The purpose of this study was to explore how a leading patient-centred Ontario hospital operationalized their patient value statement in policy and practice. The objectives of this research were to: a) understand what role the patient value statement played in policy and practice within a leading Ontario hospital and b) to examine how a leading Ontario hospital incorporated these values into their overarching organizational structures. This was a qualitative case study, which took place in a leading patient-centred Ontario hospital. The study included 18 interviews with employees and patient/family advisors. The analysis found a five-step process including: 1) setting the stage, 2) inspiring change, 3) organizational capacity, 4) barriers, and 5) reflection and improvement. This study has highlighted the role of a patient value statement within a leading Ontario hospital. The findings provide a five-step process with 12 core strategies for creating change in a healthcare organization; to embed a culture of patient-centred care.