Telephone Visit Program

Like many other organizations we have cancelled and postponed events until it will be deemed safe by government and health authorities.  As a result of COVID-19, older adults are at high risk for social isolation. They lack opportunities to stay engaged and socialize with others; a key component to health and wellness. They also lack access to current or reliable information as many do not use or cannot access the internet. This may further impede their ability to access basic necessities such as groceries, health products or medical assistance.

The Saskatoon Council on Aging is working with community organizations on a new project to support isolated older adults. We will launch a Telephone Visit program that matches seniors with trained and screened volunteers from community organizations. The volunteers will connect with older adults once or twice a week to chat. Conversations can be short or long and can cover any topic from pets to gardening. The volunteers are not social workers, doctors or any other health care professional. They are just regular people that want to help and touch base with older adults.  The only information that will be shared is a first name and a phone number. Seniors can also pick the best time for volunteers to call.

SCOA will be a central intake agency to provide callers with referrals and support relating to COVID-19.  If the senior is experiencing isolation they would be connected to friendly volunteers that would be a “telephone buddy” .

To register phone SCOA 306.652.2255 

Funded by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program
In partnership with United Way of Saskatoon and Area.

Background: 

The Saskatoon Council on Aging [SCOA] serves the approximately 80,000 older adults 55 and over in Saskatoon and area. The coronavirus outbreak has profoundly impacted the lives of older adults. They are at a high risk to become socially isolated due to necessary social distancing measures designed to keep them safe.

Prior to the crisis, SCOA provided many opportunities for older adults to socialize and stay connected. We presently have a membership of 4500 older adults. We keep people informed through our one stop information and resource centre, caregiver information and support centre, newsletters, directory of services for older adults, spotlight on Seniors trade show and our websites.  Our programs and services including seniors neighborhood hub clubs, century club, life- long learning programs and globe walk program keep older adults socially connected, engaged, active and healthy.

 

 

 

Using technology to reduce social isolation

Seniors are particularly impacted by social distancing measures to ensure safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many older adults feel more isolated than ever before. The Saskatoon Council on Aging is partnering with the University of Saskatchewan for an exciting new project to help older adults stay connected and access social opportunities.

SCOA will undertake a pilot project with researcher Megan E. O’Connell, a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan.  The pilot involves showing older adults how to use the popular video conferencing app Zoom. Clinical psychology graduate students under Dr. O’Connell’s supervision will call older adults and walk them through getting them set up to use Zoom. Online or virtual groups will be organized for a variety of topics of interest to older adults including health and mental health.  Group sessions will be limited to 8 older adults and will allow time for questions and socialization.

To take part in the project phone Dr. O’Connell 1.306.966.2496

For more information and support, please visit the  Seniors Help website

The project will promote interactivity between older adults and sharing information through presentations. Technology will also reduce the social isolation experienced by many older adults. They will also experience increased mental engagement a
nd improved health and well being. Older adults will also learn new skills and find out new services available to them.

 

City Receives Age-friendly award

Dr. Murray Scharf accepted the Age-friendly award on behalf of the City of Saskatoon.

The City of Saskatoon is honored to accept the Age-Friendly Recognition Award from the Province of Saskatchewan, an award that recognizes success and encourages communities to take sustainable action towards becoming Age-friendly. We commend and thank the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) for its part in earning this award for the City of Saskatoon

The work that brought this about was a project called the Age-Friendly Saskatoon Initiative that was originated and led by the Saskatoon Council on Aging and aimed at community change intended to establish Saskatoon as an age-friendly city. The City was pleased to cooperate with the project and to implement some of its outcomes.

With the growing population of seniors, the City of Saskatoon recognizes the key role it plays in helping to establish clear policy directions for the programs and services required by older adult citizens.

As the provider of many programs, services and infrastructure for the residents

of Saskatoon, the City works to ensure these structures are responsive to the needs of the residents. Fundamental to creating an age-friendly community is a shift in people’s attitude toward a more positive view of aging and older adults. Enabling older adults to engage in social and community activities helps maintain their connections to other people and the community; all of which contribute to an improved overall quality of life.

A commitment to respect and to include older adults is a true measure of a society’s support for the quality of life and social well-being of all of its citizens. To demonstrate the City’s commitment to this great community work, the City of Saskatoon’s Strategic Plan, 2013 – 2023, under the Strategic Goal of Quality of Life, identified as a priority, “the development of age-friendly initiatives to enhance quality of life as people age”.

The Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative achieved a significant level of success in its efforts to positively change community conversations about an aging population in Saskatoon. This was largely due to the enthusiasm and expertise that older adult volunteers provided and the thousands of hours that they dedicated over the 5 years of the Initiative to ensure the attainment of the project goals. In 2017, following the completion of the Initiative, the City of Saskatoon applied for and was granted full membership in the WHO Global Age-friendly Cities Network.

We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Saskatoon Council on Aging                   to make Saskatoon a truly age-friendly city. Thank you once again for this award.

Executive Director’s Message

Did you know that the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) serves over 80,000 older adults in Saskatoon and area?  SCOA is a non-profit organization which began operations in 1991 and is dedicated to promoting positive aging for all in an age-friendly community.

Positive aging means feeling good, as you grow older. The key to positive aging is staying ACTIVE, ENGAGED and INFORMED.

• You can stay ACTIVE through SCOA’s Globe Walk Program.
• You can stay ENGAGED through SCOA’s Senior Neighborhood Hub Clubs, Century Club, and Lifelong learning programs.
• You can stay INFORMED through SCOA’s information/resource centre and caregiver information and support centre and our publications.
• Through SCOA’s Age Friendly Saskatoon Initiative the City of Saskatoon now belongs to the World Health Organization’s Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.   The network was established to foster the exchange of experience and mutual learning between cities and communities worldwide who are striving to better meet the needs of their older residents.  .

Some SCOA key projects and partnerships in the last few years that have emerged from the age-friendly initiative include:

• Development of an Age-friendly lens that is used to encourage organizations to become age-friendly.
• Building Respectful Inclusive Communities (training for older adults in congregate living how to combat bullying).
• VIDEO with Saskatoon Fire, Police and Preston Park 1 (training police and fire to work with seniors).
• Development of a Community Police and Fire Academy for older adults
  The “Remembering When” project with Saskatoon Fire (volunteers will visit you in your home to educate about fire safety)
• VIDEO with City Transit (learn how to serve older adults and show older adults how to use City Transit).
• Bus Buddy program(volunteers show older adults how to use transit)