Celebrate Seniors luncheon in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) was a huge success.
Thank you to the volunteers: Kayla, Dustin, Jackie, and Telus volunteers: Trish, Gordon and Diane. Thanks to Castlegar Community Services (Judy and Kristein) for a fantastic and affordable lunch. Thanks to Columbia Power Corporation for their generous support.
Creating connections is the number one reason for the event. Older adults who are connected (less isolated) are less likely to be abused, live fuller longer lives.
“Research shows that lack of social relationships is equivalent to smoking as a risk factor for mortality.”
- Raising the Profile Project, http://www.seniorsraisingtheprofile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/RPP-Literature-Review.pdf
A great event for all according to the 47 feedback notes received. Reportedly connecting with others and having good food was a fantastic combination. Many people also valued the information about elder abuse prevention, and lots of people requested more opportunities like this. Several queries and comments arose in the feedback and I`d like to clarify a few things:
- Celebrate Seniors is not a city event, nor a city-sponsored event. (The city does support Lunch and Learns, also a CRN Project.) We are working at more.
- CRN is not a government program, nor a government-sponsored program: I can’t refer to other communities that do “this” but I can recommend you contact a local community services agency in your new community.
- Much of the feedback requested more events like this. We are working on it.
The IRIS: Increasing Recreation Involving Seniors Project is geared to start in the summer with a couple of coffee groups, then two groups in September to gather information from seniors on wants and needs, then hopefully two gatherings each month with presentations or materials to share regarding various topics.
To date we have over one-third of required funding. Community support, BC CRNs, and Castlegar CRN being the donors to date.
Please connect for more info on IRIS.
Thanks to all that attended and helped to make it happen. I hope you had a great time. Hope to see you again soon. In safe, healthy & inclusive communities.
Sandi McCreight
Castlegar CRN: Community Response Network