Helping seniors through isolation
Penticton volunteers have stepped in to make a huge difference for area seniors who are isolated at home and need help getting what they need or making contact with the world outside their walls.
Myrna Tischer, coordinator, Better at Home (operated by OneSky Community Resources and South Okanagan Seniors Wellness Society), said the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need and also identified needs that were not previously obvious.
“When things shut down in March, we ramped up,” Tischer explained. “Suddenly, the focus shifted from getting seniors out to keeping seniors in. Within days, an army of volunteers, many of them retirees or those with jobs on hold, stepped up to offer help.”
Federal and provincial governments provided a financial boost for service agencies which resulted in a rapid call across the province for volunteers to help local groups reach out to seniors in need.
Safe Seniors, Strong Communities is the program that was developed to help seniors across B.C. through a partnership between the BC Ministry of Health, bc211 and the United Way of the Lower Mainland.
Through local Safe Seniors, Strong Communities operations, Tischer says since late March, more than 80 volunteers have assisted 152 seniors with services ranging from grocery shopping and delivery, medication pickup and delivery, meal delivery and other tasks.
Service clubs, faith groups and other community agencies are doing phone check-ins throughout the region. Tischer’s staff and volunteers have also conducted close to 420 calls and chats with area seniors.
“For seniors without technology skills or no access to a computer, one can feel much more isolated and disconnected from their community. We all know that social isolation can have negative health outcomes.”
Tischer said she received a lovely email from a grateful son living far from his mother: “You and your team are making a major difference in her life...and also provide me with a sense of comfort that someone is there for her.”
The need to shelter at home has also brought strong community partners together to explore ways to use shuttered services to support seniors.
A recent partnership between the local Safe Seniors, Strong Communities group and the Penticton Seniors’ Drop-In Centre found a way to prepare an affordable dinner meal in the drop-in-centre’s industrial kitchen that could be delivered to seniors by OneSky Community Resources volunteers.
Within about 24 hours of advertising the dinner offerings for the next four weeks, the program was completely subscribed. As a result, the agencies are exploring additional options going forward.
“This has been a time of great challenge and through this period, we are seeing new needs and opportunities in our community,” Tischer said. “We have also seen wonderful acts of kindness, volunteerism and great team work.”
To access help in the South Okanagan/Similkameen region, you can reach bc211 by dialing 211 on your phone, visit them online at www.bc211.ca or call the local Better at Home at 250-487-3376 or 250-487-7455 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.