The St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club has a secret weapon in improving the lives of seniors. Executive director Leslie MacEachern said she is ready to let the cat out of the bag.
MacEachern said times are tough and there are so many seniors in the community. Help is one phone call away. The outreach program at the St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club can benefit every single one of them.
“It’s not just for seniors in need either,” she indicated. “It’s for everybody. It is truly a program that links seniors to the programs and resources they are looking for.” She added sometimes seniors don’t realize the resources that are available to them.
Now in its second year, the outreach program is funded by St. Albert’s Family and Community Support Services. Initially offered through the HELP Society, it originated out of the observation that the help is out there but because they often need assistance from several areas at once, seniors don’t even try. The experience is too frustrating.
That’s why MacEachern calls this a “one stop place to access services and resources” and she said it’s also a great resource for families and caregivers. By getting in touch with Irene SauvĂ©, the program’s co-ordinator, it is like having a door open to everything you need and a personal guide to show you around.
SauvĂ© refers people to a wide array of programs and services at the seniors’ club, in the community, other agencies or to government departments. The long list of help areas includes social functions, financial assistance, special needs, housecleaning and other basic living issues, health matters, cultural activities, even transportation.
Thursday morning the club is offering a Learn to Ride session to show seniors how to use St. Albert Transit buses.
Another new feature of outreach is the Grandfriends program. Over the last few months, a class of leadership students from Sir George Simpson Junior High School came over to interact with clients from the adult day program. The sessions featured storytellers, soap making and other engaging activities that brought the two generations together. MacEachern hopes to continue the sessions for next school year.
Overall, she is thrilled with outreach’s effectiveness so far but sees a bigger and busier future ahead for the program.
“Many clients have accessed programs they didn’t even know were available to them. Outreach services (to the seniors in St. Albert and surrounding areas) have increased 35 per cent since the program started at the club in late February 2008.”
This is also Seniors’ Week with festivities at the club and in the community. There will be a social lunch with music tomorrow and a family community dinner and dance on Friday evening.
For more information about the club, its events and programs call 780-459-0433 or visit www.stalbertseniorsclub.org. It is located at 7 Taché Street.
