Seniors are big news and they’re only getting bigger. It is estimated that one in five Albertans will be 65 or older by the year 2031. As the population demographics shift and more and more people hit the golden years, it is becoming more important to bring seniors’ issues to the table.
That’s where the Seniors’ Working Group comes in. In St. Albert, there is a host of organizations that work with seniors. Through the group, they hope to improve seniors’ lives through as broad a range of issues as possible.
“The group has accomplished so much,” offered Tara Burnett, the outreach program co-ordinator with the St. Albert 50+ Club (formerly the Senior Citizens’ Centre).
She meets regularly with other seniors’ service providers to discuss both the problems and solutions, “better service delivery,” as Doreen Slessor puts it.
One of the biggest problems, however, is public knowledge. Not everybody even knows that the group exists.
Consider this story the answer to that.
“Through the working group, we’ve minimized duplication of services and we’ve increased referral resources,” Slessor, the executive director at Stop Abuse in Families, or SAIF, continued. She means that if you have a question or concern about a seniors’ issue for yourself or someone else, it doesn’t matter which member within the group you call for the answer. They’re all connected and they all know the quickest route to help you out.
“You will get connected to the right person within one phone call. That just supports better collaboration and support for the public and the community.”
There are currently a dozen agencies that are represented on the Seniors’ Working Group. In addition to SAIF and the 50+ Club, there is also:
• Community Information and Volunteer Centre (CIVC);
• Alberta Health Services (Home Care);
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• The St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network;
• St. Albert Family and Community Support Services;
• St. Albert Further Education;
• St. Albert Public Library;
• St. Albert Victim Services;
• Sturgeon Foundation (Seniors Supportive Housing); and
• The Youville Home.
Anna Rodger also represents the community as a member at large.
Pat Phelan is the director of volunteer centre services with the CIVC and one of the co-chairs of the group. She emphasized that the group is an invaluable catchall resource that can help people with issues related to health, finances, mobility, transportation, isolation, and, well, the list goes on and on.
She’s a senior herself and so has a unique perspective on things.
“I certainly have a vested interest in it. I just think that there are many seniors in any community that have much to offer. I think it’s important that a community look to make sure that it’s meeting the services that seniors need.”
The Seniors’ Working Group, she continued, is just making sure that the system works in the best way possible to meet those needs.
Any of the members can be contacted to discuss seniors’ issues. Phelan can be reached at 780-459-6666 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Other co-chair Lori Jack can be reached at the Primary Care Network by calling 780-419-2214 or e-mail at [email protected].
More information can be found at www.stalbert.ca/st-albert-seniors-working-group.
Gazette starts new series focusing on issues for older citizens
