ElderConnect:
A Pilot Project for the Peninsula
“Jill’s” parents, Mr. and Mrs. “Ross”, followed their retirement dream and moved across the country. But when her dad died unexpectedly, Jill’s mom was suddenly alone.
Mrs. Ross became depressed and isolated, and her health was declining rapidly. When Jill realized her mom was in distress, she made tons of calls and scoured the internet trying to find out how to help her mom. But the more she searched, the more frustrated and confused she became.
“There’s just so much information out there. It’s impossible to find something if you don’t know what you are looking for. And how do you know what to trust?” Jill was almost in tears.
The Eldercare Foundation, in partnership with BC Healthy Communities Society (BCHC), endeavours to address this issue so seniors across B.C. are able to happily age-inplace with the support of their community.
After extensive research, the Eldercare Foundation and BCHC developed the ElderConnect Wellness Navigation System, which consists of online navigation platforms and face-to-face community supports. The first pilot community was launched in the Sooke Region on Mar. 8 this year, and is currently in the beta stage with a volunteer team.
ElderConnect makes navigating the aging journey easier — whether you are looking for resources for yourself or help for friend or loved one 1,000 miles away. Not just another online resource, ElderConnect incorporates a network of volunteer wayfinders that help people navigate their journey of aging and become connected with their community.
ElderConnect uses the same look, language and wayfinding in each community, so Jill can easily find reliable information and resources in her own, or any other Elder-Connected community. Because her local portal links to the ElderConnect Smart Hub, Jill has access to worldwide resources and assessment tools at her fingertips. For Mrs. Ross, the face-to-face wayfinders and community initiatives help her easily connect in person.
Thanks, in part, to a grant from the Victoria Foundation, the Peninsula will become the second pilot community to be Elder Connected.
Visit the SHOAL Centre at 10030 Resthaven Drive in Sidney on Mar. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m., and connect with community resources, learn from the session’s keynote about how to protect your digital footprint, and maybe even sign up to become a Peninsula ElderConnect volunteer Wayfinder! For more info, contact the Eldercare Foundation at: 250-370-5664 or visit: gvef.org