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The 411 Seniors Centre’s Seniors Outreach Counselling Partnership Program was honoured with a Celebration of Community Award at the United Way of the Lower Mainland’s Spirit Awards ceremony held January 21, 2004. The Award, sponsored by ScotiaBank, provides continued funding for and recognition of an outstanding United Way funded program focusing on prevention or early intervention. The 411 Seniors Centre’s award winning Seniors Outreach Counselling Partnership Project helps to ensure that our community’s most vulnerable seniors don’t fall through the cracks of the health care, benefits, housing and other systems, and helps those seniors to maintain their health and independence. Over 30 volunteers have been trained to be deployed to the homes of isolated and homebound seniors to assist them with such things as completing applications for health care, Pharmacare, bus passes, housing, pensions, and other old age benefits; filing income tax; preparing wills; providing referrals and information about community resources such as housing options; and so much more. In partnership with Health Canada and with assistance from the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, the project has also been involved with the development of a Tool Kit; a model or “how to” guide for use by other community groups who wish to set-up a similar program for seniors in their community. “The project has the potential to expand from its original catchment area to a much wider audience. Our vision is that through the sharing of the Tool Kit and other resources, the project will eventually aid seniors across the entire province of BC,” explained Margaret Coates, Executive Director. “Our strategy has always been to be proactive and innovative in responding to the changing social conditions in the Lower Mainland.” ~Carol Lloyd
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