by Stephen Dafoe
The St. Albert Seniors Association (SASA) wants to get out and about in Sturgeon County and neighbouring municipalities to support as many seniors as possible. The seniors organization is currently looking for volunteers for their Community Connections programs.
SASA Program Marketing Coordinator Leland Lazowski told MorinvilleNews.com that the Community Connections programs are designed to alleviate loneliness and isolation.
“The programs are aimed at helping the senior communities age in place. We see too many seniors sent to homes earlier than needed due to avoidable issues,” Lazowski said, noting that the lack of nutritional foods due to an inability to cook for themselves is one such issue SASA can assist with their frozen meal delivery program. Lazowski said a lack of transportation or ability to drive prevents some seniors from visiting others in their communities or getting to crucial medical appointments.
Lazowski said the Community Connections programs are geared to people 50 and older in the region, including those in Sturgeon County, Morinville, Bon Accord, Gibbons, Legal, Redwater, and Alexander First Nation.
SASA needs as many volunteers as possible to get out to all these communities to assist seniors who are aging in place.
“The ideal candidate is an individual from 18 to 80 who wants to help a senior with isolation and loneliness,” Lazowski said. “Someone willing to spend an hour a week, either on the phone or in person, to catch up and talk with a senior. The volunteers are only expected to be of company to the seniors they visit or call. It’s that simple.”
SASA is also currently taking applications for seniors wanting to have a visitor, volunteers, and candidates for the Friendly Driver Program. The driver program for low-income (under $33,000 a year) seniors provides a ride to and from crucial medical appointments, including chemotherapy, dialysis, and surgery. The other Community Connections programs do not have an income requirement.
Lazowski and SASA hope to encourage Sturgeon County and area residents to volunteer to help seniors in their communities.
“So many grandparents here are truly lonely,” Lazowski said. “As someone who works at a seniors centre, I can say from experience having someone to just talk to and sip some tea or eat lunch together can change it all.”
The application to sign up for a visitor/caller can be found online at https://stalbertseniors.ca/friendly-visits-calls-application/
