Find out what`s going on with
various ESCC projects

ESCC Project Updates

March 11, 2013

Greetings ESCC Followers.

In an effort to keep you updated on the work of the ESCC (Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council) we have produced this electronic newsletter which will allow us to provide more project details to supplement our weekly Link Letter. Our plan is to send this out monthly so that ESCC member organizations (board of directors, their staff and members) and other stakeholders can stay informed.

We invite, and encourage you to forward this newsletter to people who may find it useful and informative and if they wish to be added to the subscription list they can send us an e-mail to info@seniorscouncil.net . If you do not wish to receive further issues of this newsletter kindly unsubscribe to the address listed at the bottom of this newsletter.

As always, the ESCC Board of Directors and staff are willing to attend a meeting of member boards and give a presentation about any of the work we are involved in. You can make this request by e-mailing info@seniorscouncil.net or by calling 780-423-5635.

ESCC PROJECT UPDATES

Age Friendly Edmonton now has nine working groups forming which align with the nine key areas outlined in the Vision for an Age Friendly Edmonton Action Plan.

Community Support Services
Health Services
Communication and Information
Social and Recreational Participation
Transportation
Respect and Social Inclusion
Civic Participation, Volunteerism and Employment
Housing
Outdoor Spaces and Buildings

ESCC member organizations will soon receive a letter addressed to their Board President, inviting them to recruit interested seniors within their organizations to the Age Friendly Edmonton working groups. City Council approved a budget for Age Friendly work for 2013 and there is potential to see many concrete actions in all the key areas that will make Edmonton more supportive of its aging population. Call the ESCC office at 780-423-5635 or e-mail Sheila@seniorscouncil.net if you wish to join a working group or perhaps be involved in a focus group or an evaluation team.

Door-Through-Door Seniors Assisted Transportation Project

Three volunteer-driving organizations (Seniors Assisted Transportation Society; Lifestyle Helping Hands Seniors Association; Society of Seniors Caring About Seniors) send one staff and board member to bi-weekly coordinating committee meetings facilitated by Rosalie Gelderman (ESCC) and Ingrid Hoogenboom (City-Seniors Team). The committee is well into its one-year work plan to develop/implement a shared service model for coordinated, city-wide coverage. This will mean standardized procedures and use of a common software program, joint branding/marketing of the service and the establishment of a subsidy pool for seniors that cannot afford the service. This work builds on existing strengths and enhances the capacity for organizations to offer a system of services.

   Door-Through-Door Assisted Transportation for
   Seniors is for seniors who have mobility
   challenges and other special needs that requires a
   higher level of service than is available through
   public transportation or other existing ride services.

The current data collection methods of each organization are being analyzed and this information will be useful in the search for software that will allow the three organizations to enter ride clients, volunteer drivers, issue ride requests and dispatch drivers. This information will also allow the groups to further define their target markets and to illustrate the growing need for this assisted transportation service.

Core Services for Supporting Seniors to Age in Place

On January 11, 2013, ECSS member agencies participated in a “ Moving Forward Workshop”. At this Workshop participants identified the following priorities for collaborative action.
Ensure Access To Snow Removal And Yard Maintenance
Seniors are able to access snow removal services and-or ya

rd maintenance services in a timely manner as required.
Health Promotion and Injury-Disease Prevention
Seniors have the information and awareness they need to make informed choices to maintain their health and well-being.
Telephone Line (answered by a person) Information and Referral
Seniors are able to obtain timely and meaningful information and referrals through a telephone and referral line.

Three Working Groups have been established for the three priority areas and meetings are taking place Feb-April with a report back to the larger ESCC member group in May, 2013. Working Groups include seniors as well as representatives from ESCC member organizations and representatives from Alberta Health Services, City of Edmonton, the Support Network, and the United Way. The Steering Committee for this project includes Russ Dahms of the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations; Jean Dalton of the United Way; Rachelle Gietz of Alberta Caregivers Association; Grace Maier of Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital; and Susan Morrissey of Edmonton Social Planning Council.

The initial meetings have taken place for the Telephone Line and for the Snow Removal Working Groups. The Telephone Line Working Group with Support Network 211 staff will investigate whether developing a seniors information and referral line with 211 is possible. Their next meeting, March 28th, will be at the Support Network and will focus on understanding how that call system operates. The next step will be to map out how the requirements of a seniors telephone line could be provided by 211 and to determine if it can be built into and/or provided by 211. The Snow Removal Working Group identified key features for service and discussed the current service situation and agreed there is a need for system improvements. They will begin prioritizing where the highest need exists and develop options for action at their second meeting March 18th.

Outreach Project

Outreach workers from senior centres are working with Rosalie Gelderman of ESCC to improve accessibility of outreach services to isolated and/or at-risk seniors. They have developed some joint forms and are looking at the outcomes and data collection that each agency is currently using to report to funde

rs. Some joint training has been offerred and more is being planned for
this year. All organizations have been asked to
update their agency profile information on the Support Network's 211 database to enable operators to make accurate referrals.

The project is partnering with the multicultural, health and other senior-serving organizations to better reach isolated seniors and support them to age in place (in their own home or apartment in the community). This partnership broadens the scope of clients for some outreach workers as many isolated seniors are not currently connecting with senior-service agencies, but could benefit from the linkage.

Creative Age Edmonton

The Creative Age Festival is being planned for June 4-9. If you would like to know more about the festival you can visit the website www.creativeageedmonton.ca

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Edmonton Seniors Council

Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council

#255, 8330-82 Avenue

Edmonton, AB T6C 4E3

Canada

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