Seniors’ Wellness

The Seniors’ Wellness Program includes a variety of services, many of which are supported by the ongoing partnership with Island Health through Lady Minto Hospital. Other partners include Island Community Services Food Programs and Housing Services, and Community Response Network (CRN). well.

Services Include:

Senior Peer Counselling

Mental health has been hit hard globally across all demographics the last few years and is increasingly in the spotlight as prominent campaigns to reduce the stigma attest to. Some seniors have unique challenges, however, that make them more vulnerable to mental health issues and less able to seek help. 

Retired seniors living at home alone specifically face isolation and are without many of the day-to-day connections in community life that provide social and emotional support. Many are also challenged for transportation and have no immediate family on the island.

The Senior Peer Counselling service offered through Island Community Services provides emotional support through life’s challenges to seniors by senior volunteers trained based on the curriculum of the Senior Peer Counselling of British Columbia. Senior Peer Counselling training programs provide in depth training, education and practice for seniors wishing to offer emotional support to other seniors.

Trained senior volunteers provide free and confidential one-to-one support to help meet life’s challenges. The volunteer counsellors provide compassionate listening and encouragement to help people get more in touch with their own feelings, gain a clearer understanding of their situations and difficulties, and make the decisions necessary to solve their own problems.

Volunteers are an important part of the Senior Peer Counselling program. By volunteering your time you are part of a community initiative to increase access to these supports by building community capacity and helping to reduce isolation and vulnerability for the seniors in our community. Volunteers complete a lay counselling training course and are supported by experienced clinical counsellors

This program is supported by the ongoing partnership of Island Community Services and Lady Minto Hospital.

Resource and Referral

The Seniors’ Wellness program can provide referrals and information on many available resources for seniors beyond the offerings of Island Community Services, or even Salt Spring Island.

This program is supported by the ongoing partnership of Island Community Services and Lady Minto Hospital.

Friendly Visitors

Carefully selected friendly volunteers who visit regularly with seniors in their homes or on an excursion to offer companionship and brighten the day. Visits are individual, confidential and free. Thjs service is coordinated through Better At Home. 

 Health Information and Education

The Seniors’ Wellness program at Island Community Services is committed to providing the most up-to-date information regarding the health and wellness of seniors. Workshops and presentations about health and wellness related issues for seniors may include:

  • Managing diabetes;
  • Arthritis self-management;
  • Coping with chronic disease
  • Chronic pain self-management
  • High blood pressure
  • Falls prevention
  • The role of the pharmacist

This program is supported by the ongoing partnership of Salt Spring Island Community Services and Lady Minto Hospital.

Housing First and Outreach 

Many seniors face challenges in navigating through the services and sources of income available to them and need assistance to access resources such as Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, rental subsidies or aid getting taxes completed.

Island Community Services helps seniors to overcome challenges in a broad range of ways including technology barriers, transportation and understanding forms. Referrals and aid in accessing resources available to them such as medical assessment for adapted or assisted living, mental health and other health care related resources can be provided, along with connection and liaison with services both on and off Salt Spring Island. This program is funded by the Reaching Home program of the Government of Canada.

Food Programs

With the skyrocketing cost of food and housing, more and more people across all demographics who have never had to access food programs before are doing so in today’s economy. Seniors on fixed incomes may find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet to cover all the basic needs and are particularly vulnerable to inadequate nutrition.

The Food Bank is open to the public at 268 Fulford-Ganges Road on Tuesdays from 9:30 am-3:45 pm.  A request can be made In person or online through the website. Orders can be picked up by a third party if specified, or delivery is available for seniors and those with disabilities or mobility challenges. To inquire, contact (250) 537-9971 ext. 241 or email to foodbank@ssics.ca

Harvest Home Meals delivers two meals every week to seniors on a six-week rotating menu schedule. There are three pricing option to match with financial situations, including full subsidy. All meals are prepared in the Harvest Kitchen, a licensed commercial kitchen run by a Red Seal chef. Meals and food bank hampers are delivered by devoted, trained volunteers. Those 60 or older can fill out an application form which will be assessed for payment level.

Community Response Network (CRN)

A Community Response Network (CRN) is a diverse group of community members, service providers, agencies, businesses and professionals who collaborate to create a coordinated community response to adult abuse, neglect, and self-neglect. It is recognized that offering support to adults who may be abused or neglected – and having access to some new legal tools – is only part of what will make a difference in peoples’ lives.  As well there is a need for increased coordination at the community level, not only of responses to individuals who are abused or neglected, but also coordination in terms of working towards prevention over time.  There are CRNs established or under development throughout BC.

Volunteering

There are many opportunities for volunteering at Island Community Services that can help mitigate isolation, providing social engagement and a sense of purpose.

Contact

All services can be accessed by calling Island Community Services at (250) 537-9971.  For Seniors’ Wellness and Better at Home contact Shellyse Szakacs at ext. 244. Food Bank and Harvest Home Meals Programs ext. 241. Housing First and Outreach at ext. 243. 

268 Fulford-Ganges Road
Salt Spring Island, BC

Hours

Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 4:00PM