Health Link: Recognizing and preventing fraud
These days, it seems like fraud is everywhere: on television, on the internet, and in the newspapers. From phone scams to internet viruses that steal your personal information or individuals who promise you things that are too good to be true, it can be hard to know what is legitimate and what isn’t, and even harder to know when to trust someone or be wary.
This new reality can be especially stressful for seniors, many of whom are still a bit unfamiliar with cell phones, computers, and other new technologies. The Senior-aware program was created to address this – it is a tool that helps to increase awareness of different kinds of abuse and fraud and offer seniors advice for recognizing and preventing fraud in their everyday lives.
Senior-aware information sessions are hosted by police officers, professionals, and senior volunteers. The sessions offer a complete view of the kinds of abuse and fraud that target seniors and include advice that can help individuals recognize and prevent these kinds of situations.
This program is the result of a collaboration between three organizations directly involved with seniors and the prevention of fraud and abuse: the FADOQ network, the Sûreté du Québec, and the University-affiliated centre of social gerontology of West-central Montreal Health.
We are pleased to offer English-speaking seniors the chance to participate in a senior-aware workshop on the topic of fraud during our upcoming Health Link session on Wednesday, April 18 at the Armoury Community Centre in Bury (563 Main Street).
This Health Link session will begin with a lunch at 11:30 am, a $5 donation per person is requested to help cover the costs of the meal and ensure we can continue to offer this interesting activity. Reservations are required for the lunch, please call Kim Fessenden: 819-872-3771, ext. 2 by Monday, April 16. Community members are also welcome to join us for only the speaker’s presentation at 1:00 pm if they’d prefer.
April is a great month to attend a Health Link session. If you’ve never tried one before – we have a fun little surprise in store for participants!
Health Link is a collaboration between The Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre, the CIUSSS de l’estrie – CHUS’S Haut-saint-françois RLS, the Centre d’action Bénévole du Haut-saintfrançois, and Townshippers’ Association. It is a CHSSN initiative funded by Health Canada through the Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities.
Workshop offers soapy situation for a good cause
Clean up this Saturday and do a little good by participating in a free soap-making workshop during the St. Francis Elementary School’s Babies & Kids Bazaar and used book sale this April 14 from 8:30 am -12:30 pm.
Held at St. Francis Elementary School (355 rue College S., Richmond), students with the St. Francis Soap for Hope initiative will be giving the workshop at their table until noon and while quantities last. Made possible by Townshippers’ Association, participants will learn about the ingredients and steps all the while making two soaps – one which they may take home and the other donated to make a difference in the community.
Donated homemade soaps will receive a label with a positive message and then be given to the Richmond Meals on Wheels (Popote Roulant) to be distributed to meal recipients.
As teacher Mandy Sullivan explains in her project proposal, "every label comes with a heartfelt message of kindness or hope. Even though we do not know the recipient personally or ever meet them we are connected by kindness.”
To participate in this great initiative, visit the St. Francis Soap for Hope table before noon.
This CHSSN initiative is funded by Health Canada through the Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages 20132018: Education, Immigration, Communities.
This weekly column in The Record keeps you in touch with Townshippers’ Association’s activities and news. For other ways to keep in touch with us, visit our website Townshippers.org, follow us on Facebook.com/townshippers, Twitter @Townshippers or get in touch with our offices in Sherbrooke at 100 – 257 Queen, 819-566-5717, toll-free: 1-866-5665717, or Lac-brome at 3-584 Knowlton Rd, 450-242-4421, toll-free: 1-877-242-4421.