Financial Empowerment Resources
The Financial Empowerment for Healthy Aging with HIV research study was carried out in 2024 to explore the financial empowerment needs of older people living with HIV in Ontario, such as:
- The financial difficulties and needs of older people living with HIV in Ontario
- The information, resources, services, and supports that can facilitate greater financial empowerment
As a result of our learnings from this study, Realize developed the following resource guides for use by community members and community-based HIV organizations. These guides offer listings and links to financial resources and information relevant to Ontario residents.
Your Finances & You: A Guide for Older People Living with HIV – to support older people living with HIV in Ontario to access financial information and resources
Helping Clients with Financial Questions: A Starter Guide for CBHOs in Ontario – to help service providers support clients in finding reliable financial information
We have also created a list of Local Financial Resources for Older Adults Living with HIV in Ontario. This list includes in-person and online services and programs in regions across Ontario.
About the Financial Empowerment Study
This research project developed from consultations with older people living with HIV in the PANACHE Ontario study (2019). This study identified financial issues as a major stressor for older people living with HIV, in addition to revealing barriers to financial inclusion.
The Financial Empowerment study learned from the experiences of service providers at community-based HIV organizations to support their clients with navigating benefits programs and accessing financial information and services.
The study findings helped us better understand how educational programs, support services and policies can be created or adapted in a way that is useful to older adults living with HIV and fosters financial empowerment.
To work toward lasting policy and program changes, the Financial Empowerment study provides government policy makers, health and social service providers and community organizations with actionable steps to address the barriers to financial inclusion and empowerment for older people living with HIV.
An overview of the study’s findings and recommendations are available in the following document:
Strengthening Financial Empowerment for Aging People Living with HIV in Ontario: Executive Summary
More information
For more information about the Financial Empowerment project, contact: fecoordinator@realizecanada.org