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Senior dice on person's palm

Planning underway for Moncton seniors centre

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Future meetings are expected as the seniors centre in Moncton takes shape.

On February 17, Moncton City Council voted in favour of approving $1.7 million and a piece of land at 80 Limerick Street, along with several conditions.

Those include that the Senior Citizens Committee is fully responsible for the construction and will be responsible for the management of their building.

The Committee is also required to develop a comprehensive business plan demonstrating long-term financial sustainability, including consideration of provincial and federal funding programs, increased memberships and rentals, and/or community fundraising.

“We want to have the physical activities, yoga, and then obviously there’s the games, bridge, the card games, 45s, all those things as well. But we are looking at trying to make it a centre where seniors go to get information,” Committee Chairman Dennis Cochrane explained.

“Both the hospital corporations have approached us and said they’d be interested in having some nurses come in and do presentations and so on. We also think there’s a need for a lawyer to come in and talk about power of attorney or wills. Health-related information sessions and activities, balance workshops, the next round of COVID shots could be given there by one of the pharmacists and so on.”

The proposed centre will be around 6000 square feet, on a 22,000 square foot lot, and it is modelled after the Hospice Moncton building.

“When you go into the hospice building, there’s an office and kitchen off to the left, but there’s a large lounge and a fairly large dining area. We’re interested in reproducing that so that people can go in and sit down and have a cup of coffee, a muffin, a cookie, or whatever, or take part in an activity. And we think that’s a huge function that the centre will perform,” Cochrane explained.

He adds that there are still a lot of details to be worked out, but added that the fact that the City Council has expressed its support for the seniors is very positive.

Cochrane added that if they act quickly and everything goes right, he hopes to have a centre open by Christmas. “If we look at getting the things that the city wants in place in the next month, then we look at some of the drafting and architectural work that needs to be done. If we could get a tender out sometime in May, I think that would be a really good sign. It’s not a complex structure.”

The seniors centre located at 473 St. George Street closed in November 2022, when the former Kiwanis Lions Club was converted to a homeless shelter.

Another idea was proposed in April last year, to have a seniors centre located at 1010 St. George Boulevard after Rising Tide purchased the building and planned renovations included seniors housing on the upper floors.

That idea fell through a month later, and fears that Project 1010 for a seniors centre would delay construction of new housing.

The Senior Citizens Committee has been working to find a solution since then.

“Our core committee is about six people who have been very devoted to this, and a lot of support from seniors throughout the city. So I do want to compliment everyone for sticking with it,” Cochrane expressed.

woman sitting on wheelchair

Action plan to deal with Alzheimer’s in New Brunswick unveiled

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The New Brunswick government presented a new plan Thursday to address dementia and Alzheimer’s in the province.

The three-year strategy and action plan is intended to reduce risk, improve early diagnosis and ensure co-ordinated, compassionate care for New Brunswickers living with dementia and their care partners.

“Today, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia touch the lives of thousands of New Brunswickers, and as our population ages, that number will only grow,” said Seniors Minister Lyne Chantal Boudreau in the introduction to the new strategy. “We need to act now to ensure that no one faces this journey alone.”

The strategy was developed by the Department of Health, in partnership with the Department of Social Development, Vitalité Health Network, Horizon Health Network and the Extra-Mural Program/Ambulance New Brunswick.

The current state of dementia care and services in the province was examined. Through research, analysis and consultation with more than 1,700 interested parties, including people living with dementia and their care partners, a desired future state was developed.

“We committed to working with communities to develop and implement a plan that better supports those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Premier Susan Holt in a press release. “This work is key to building a system of care that is more responsive, equitable and aligned with the real needs of New Brunswickers.”

The strategy focuses on five areas: risk reduction, public education and awareness, support for people living with dementia and their care partners, a trained and supported workforce, and timely diagnosis and care delivery.

It also includes 14 priority actions:

  • Brain health promotion and dementia risk reduction
  • Dementia-friendly communities
  • Public awareness campaigns
  • Navigation and care co-ordination
  • Care partner supports and education
  • Care partner respite
  • Identification of financial supports
  • Self-management approaches
  • Dementia-specific continuing education programs
  • Timely diagnosis
  • Behavioural supports
  • Palliative and end-of-life care
  • Dementia population monitoring
  • Research

“Dementia is complex and there’s no single answer,” said Health Minister John Dornan in a release. “This plan is a starting point.”

Dornan said the plan will continue to evolve so health-care and social-care systems continue to meet the needs of people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s and those who care for them.

Implementation of the strategy will be the responsibility of government departments, not-for-profit organizations, professional associations, the research community and patient partners, with oversight from the Department of Health.

The Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick was granted $1 million to enhance its programs and services in support of the strategy’s implementation.

The society’s executive director, Chandra MacBean, said the work is important because it starts with people and their experiences, voices, and goals.

“This investment allows us to translate strategy into meaningful, on-the-ground support that will improve access, strengthen well-being and create more responsive services for the individuals and families we serve,” MacBean said in a release.

Quinn House

New owners preserve affordable seniors apartments in Saint Andrews

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A not-for-profit is preserving affordable housing for seniors in Saint Andrews.

Shiretown Community Services has purchased Quinn House, an apartment building on Queen Street, but they will continue to use the building for subsidized housing, according to a news release.

Chair John Matheson thanked the previous owners, the NB Masonic Housing and Charities organization, for their decades of service to the community.

“We’re honoured to continue the tradition of ensuring that seniors in our region have access to safe and affordable housing,” Matheson wrote in the news release.

The eight-unit apartment building was built in 1988 by Masonic Charities for widows of Masons, the release said.

But it later became a key place to live for low-income seniors.

Shiretown Community Services was founded in 2005 by members of the Anglican Parish of Saint Andrews. On top of their housing initiatives, they run a weekly community kitchen and a social program that gives people food-service training when they have other barriers to employment.

This past summer, they managed the canteen on Ministers Island as part of their “skills-building and community outreach efforts,” the release said.

President of NB Masonic Housing and Charities, Stephen Allen, said they sold the building to focus on other parts of their charitable mission.

He said they can move on knowing the building is in good hands.

“We commend Shiretown Community Services for their commitment to maintain affordable housing options in Saint Andrews,” said Stephen Allen.

person holding black and silver microphone

Dryden organization aims to alleviate social isolation for seniors

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A non-profit organization is highlighting the risk of loneliness that many seniors in Dryden cope with everyday.

“Say you live (in an) apartment setting,” says Colleen Hill from Dryden District Senior Services. “You can still feel isolated even though you are surrounded by people.”

Earlier this week, October was proclaimed Seniors Isolation Prevention Month by Mayor Jack Harrison, who encourages all residents to celebrate and engage with Dryden’s senior citizens.

According to a recent report, less than 40 per cent of Canadians aged 50 and older engage in social and recreational activities on a weekly basis, with one in four saying they rarely or never do so.

Hill says Dryden District Senior Services offers several programs that are aimed at providing seniors the assistance, social support and services they often require.

“Our role with our organization is that we try and capture and try to encourage everyone to come to our programs,” says Hill. “We have programming in place to try and prevent isolation in the home.”

Among the services offered by Dryden District Senior Services are adult day programs that provide a group setting for socialization opportunities, respite, as well as support to families and caregivers.

As well, Dryden District Senior Services supports seniors with regular visitation services, whereby a volunteer and client are matched to meet via phone call or in-person visit.

“The key part is matching a volunteer with a client,” notes Lisa Helbling, the adult day and friendly visiting coordinator. “These visits can take place in their homes or they can take them shopping or to community events if they need that support.”

Another important program is Meals on Wheels, which has a dual-function for those who require the service.

“A volunteer will deliver a hot meal to the community member and in that delivery of service, they would provide a bit of a security check,” explains Hill, noting that if concerns arise, volunteers are instructed to report back to Dryden District Senior Services, which could potentially call for a wellness check.

“All of our programs are supported with volunteers,” adds Hill, encouraging anyone interested in helping out to sign up. “(People) can give us a call here at Dryden Senior Services or by email.”