Healthy Aging
Programs designed to help aging British Columbians remain active, connected, and engaged in their existing communities.
- Programs
- Healthy Aging Team
- In the News
- Research & Reports
- Community Engagement
- Project Impact Healthy Aging
- CBSS Leadership Council
Healthy Aging Programs
United Way Healthy Aging administers grants and manages programs that provide exceptional quality-of-life benefits to seniors, helping them stay Active, Connected and Engaged! The Healthy Aging portfolio currently features eight different grant streams. A network of 195 community-based service agencies deliver 331 Healthy Aging programs throughout British Columbia.
The eight provincial community grants/programs include Better at Home, Family & Friend Caregiver Supports, Social Prescribing, Therapeutic Activation Programs for Seniors (TAPS), Navigation and Peer Support, Digital Learning Program/Active Aging Plus, Men’s Sheds and Emergency Preparedness and Response.
The focus is primarily on health promotion and preventive practices, while also offering seniors-centered programming and services that foster independence, social engagement, physical activity, and a sense of belonging.
In light of the pandemic restrictions being lifted, the service offerings for these initiatives have transitioned from primarily check-ins to now include in-person programming. This shift allows for more direct and interactive engagement with the older adult community, further enhancing the benefits and impact of these programs.
Healthy Aging Team
-
Kahir Lalji
Provincial Director, Government Relations & Government Programs -
Bobbi Symes
Director, Healthy Aging -
Camille J. Hannah
Assistant Director, Healthy Aging -
Dr. Beverley Pitman
Senior Regional Community Developer (Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky) -
Sarrah Storey
Regional Community Developer (Northern BC) -
Lisa Cyr
Regional Community Developer (Interior BC) -
Cheryl Baldwin
Regional Community Developer (Central & Northern Vancouver Island) -
Laura Kadowaki
Program & Operations Coordinator -
Jean Rikhof
Provincial Coordinator, Data & Reporting -
Calum Petersen
Granting Specialist -
Esther Moreno
Capacity Building Specialist -
Amaanali Fazal
Emergency Response and Partnerships Coordinator -
Shelby Alexander
Marketing & Communications Specialist -
Wingsi Kan
Administrator -
Mai Nguyen
Administrator -
Jessamine Liu
Administrator -
Ravi Grewal
Administrator
Healthy Aging – In The News
At Healthy Aging, we believe that sharing stories about the work that’s being done in community helps to strengthen connections.
For more information about any of these stories, please contact healthyaging@uwbc.ca.
Healthy Aging – Research & Reports
Healthy Aging relies on social research to ensure all our programs are meaningful and responsive to the needs of people as they age. We undertake our own research projects and work in collaboration with other respected researchers.
-
Healthy Aging Year in Review (2022-2023)
Together, we are helping seniors stay active, connected and engaged. Discover the impact United Way British Columbia had last year because of the invaluable support we received from community-based service providers, government funders, partners, friends and family caregivers, and our remarkable cohort of 5,600 volunteers. (For the best experience when clicking links on the Year in Review please use CTRL + Click to open URLs in a new tab.)
-
Healthy Aging Year in Review (2021-2022)
2021-2022 reminded us that resilience can lead to monumental change and impact. We all know what a challenging year 2020 was for all of us, especially older adults in British Columbia. With the leadership role United Way British Columbia took on for Safe Seniors, Strong Communities, the expansion of the Better at Home network, and many other initiatives of the Community-Based Seniors’ Services sector, we rose to the challenge together to keep older British Columbians safe. 2021-2022 was a chance to come back – better, stronger, and united. And did we ever.
-
Healthy Aging Program Brochure
The Healthy Aging program is delivered through United Way British Columbia (United Way BC), whose work is to strengthen vital connections that support people in need in local communities.
-
Safe Seniors, Strong Communities (6-month Summary: March 27 to September 30, 2020).
-
Healthy Aging Year in Review (2020-2021)
-
Rising to the Challenge – How BC’s CBSS agencies stepped up during Covid-19
-
Family & Friend Caregivers Information and Resource Handbook
Directed to family and friend caregivers, the handbook recognizes the crucial role that unpaid caregivers play in Metro Vancouver’s public health system. Just like doctors and nurses, they need comprehensive, up-to-date information in order to provide proper care to their loved ones.
Community Engagement
The Community Based Seniors’ Services (CBSS) sector is broad and diverse, and to ensure the work of Healthy Aging by United Way BC remains relevant and working toward the goals of the sector at large, a number of community accountability and task groups have been convened to guide and support the work on a variety of fronts. Collectively, these groups are working toward: supporting increased capacity and sustainability of the sector to address the growing needs of BC’s aging population; raising awareness of the breadth and value of the sector; fostering opportunities for communication, coordination, and collaboration; and developing a collective voice on healthy aging and the CBSS sector.
Provincial and Regional Consultations
Provincial Consultations serve as crucial opportunities for the exchange of innovative initiatives, strategies, and practices within the CBSS network. They play a vital role in collecting valuable information and perspectives to shape priorities and planning for programs, training, resource development, and other forms of support for the sector.
During the 2022-23 period, a significant online Provincial Consultation was organized, focusing on the topic of “Volunteer Recruitment and Retention in the CBSS Sector.” This session prominently featured presentations on innovative volunteer programs and practices. It actively involved CBSS staff and volunteers in various activities, such as sharing current effective strategies, tools, and resources utilized in volunteer recruitment and retention within the CBSS sector.
Participants engaged in meaningful discussions regarding the challenges and gaps that require attention. The consultation provided an explorative platform for generating ideas and opportunities to foster initiatives and activities aimed at bolstering and advancing volunteerism and volunteer management within CBSS organizations. Consultations aim to:
- share current resources, strategies, and programs that are making a difference in community for a particular area of priority
- identify challenges and gaps that need to be addressed
- explore opportunities for potential activities, resources, and collaboration to advance community action and effectiveness in those priority areas relevant to supporting older adults in community
Numerous regional and provincial consultations are planned for 2023-24.
Provincial Working Groups
CBSS Provincial Working Groups and Advisory Committees are actively involved in addressing priority areas identified by the CBSS Leadership Council. These priorities stem from the input gathered through Provincial Summits on Aging, Regional and Provincial Consultation feedback, and other community engagement activities. The Working Groups, which consist of representatives from the CBSS sector, are led by members of the Leadership Council who possess relevant interest and expertise in the respective topic areas.
Housing and Transportation
The Seniors Housing and Seniors Transportation Working Groups have shown significant dedication to researching and raising awareness about challenges and service gaps affecting seniors. Additionally, they have been proactive in sharing information on effective models and strategies through various means, such as webinars, presentations, Healthy Aging CORE, the biennial Summit on Aging, and Consultations.
Nutritional Supports
The Nutritional Supports Working Group’s activities concluded in early 2023. However, the resources it has developed remain available on CORE, including valuable webinars, toolkits, case studies, and a literature review.
Emergency Preparedness
More recently, an Advisory Committee has been established to address CBSS Emergency Preparedness and Response. This Committee’s primary focus will be on enhancing existing partnerships and establishing a coordinated response among agencies and government entities. This collective effort aims to provide support to older British Columbians in the event of natural disasters and/or extreme climate emergencies.
Provincial Summit on Aging
United Way BC is thrilled to announce that the upcoming Summit on Aging will take place in the fall of 2024 at the Executive Hotel Vancouver Airport in Richmond, BC.
The biennial gathering aims to facilitate discussions and collaborations on current issues and innovations in healthy aging, not only in British Columbia but also beyond its borders.
The theme for the 2022 Summit was ‘Better Together,’ emphasizing the significance of collective efforts in establishing an integrated, older person-centered model of support in the province.
Over 540 CBSS sector organizations, along with older adults, family and friend caregivers, academia, and government representatives participated in the 2022 event, both in-person and online.
We look forward to continued progress and fruitful endeavors in healthy aging.
Watch a video highlight of the 2022 Provincial Summit on Aging below:
Read the 2022 Provincial Summit on Aging Summary Report below:
-
2022 Provincial Summit on Aging Summary Report
Healthy Aging Core BC
Healthy Aging CORE BC (Collaborative Online Resources and Education) is an online knowledge hub that facilitates connections among organizations supporting and promoting independent living for older British Columbians.
CORE’s primary focus lies in enhancing connections and capabilities, fostering coordination and collaboration, and bridging the gap between research and practice in the CBSS sector. This is achieved by granting convenient access to carefully curated evidence-based resources, training sessions, and other opportunities for knowledge sharing, including communities of practice and interactive group activities. CORE plays a crucial role in connecting, strengthening, and expanding the CBSS network, encompassing volunteers, staff, researchers, and allied agencies working towards supporting older adults to age in place. Through the cross-promotion of relevant organizations, events, news, and resources, and highlighting effective community programs, CORE promotes effective community programs and facilitates peer learning and partnerships.
Community agencies, partners and volunteers can access CORE BC and its wealth of resources, at bc.healthyagingcore.ca
Project Impact Healthy Aging
Healthy Aging also provides leadership training and capacity building within the community-based seniors’ service sector and the broader non-profit sector.
Due to BC’s aging population, there is a growing demand for programs and services to support older British Columbians. The collaborative efforts of United Way BC, the Province of BC, and the Community-Based Seniors’ Services (CBSS) sector aim to enhance the work being done in communities to keep seniors active, connected, and engaged.
United Way BC’s developmental evaluation course, Project Impact Healthy Aging, has played a crucial role in this work. This program takes teams of 2-5 people through a program where they assess the impact their offering is having on their senior participants. The 2023 Project Impact Healthy Aging Showcase in Vancouver unveiled the impactful findings from this year’s seven participating agencies, revealing the transformative effects of their programs on seniors’ lives. As one senior participant expressed, “This program saved my life, I would be lost without it.”
The evaluation process has armed these agencies with valuable data to improve their services and address seniors’ evolving needs, including digital literacy, social engagement, and advocating for affordable housing. This endeavor empowers each organization to create a better future for seniors in British Columbia. For more information contact healthyaging@uwbc.ca
Read the full 2023 impact story, entitled ‘Senior-serving agencies measure their impact through Project Impact’ here.
Watch a video highlight below:
CBSS Leadership Council
-
Annwen Loverin
(Co-Chair)Executive Director, Silver Harbour Seniors’ Activity Centre
-
Marcy Cohen
(Co-Chair)CBSS Leadership Council
-
Anthony Kupferschmidt
Executive Director, Langley Senior Resources Society
-
Daisy Au
Coordinator, Seniors Club, Specialized & Innovative Programs, MOSAIC
-
Deborah Hollins
Executive Director, Nanaimo Family Life Association
-
Debbie Hertha
Seniors Coordinator, Community Social Development, City of Richmond
-
Erin Anderlini
Health Director, Prince George Native Friendship Centre
-
Glenys Cavers
Director of Volunteer & Seniors’ Services, Beacon Community Service
-
Grace Admiraal-Blansjee
Executive Director, Agassiz-Harrison Community Services
-
Jane Osborne
Regional Mentor, Vancouver Island Central and North, BC CRNs
-
Dr. Janice Murphy
Executive Director, Kootenay Boundary Community Services Co-operative
-
Linda Stride
Recreation, Health and Wellness Supervisor, City of Kamloops
-
Lorelei Hawkins
Member, CBSS Leadership Council
-
Louise Tremblay
Executive Director, Seniors Come Share Society
-
Lynne Romano
Community Development Coordinator, Golden, B.C.
-
Mike Jennings
President, Men’s Shed Association of B.C.; President of Coquitlam Men’s Shed Society
-
Sahra-Lea Tosdevine-Tataryn
Project Manager, Age-Friendly Strategy for Seniors Project, City of Surrey
-
Sheila McDonald
Coordinator, Prince Rupert Seniors Centre
-
Tim Rowe
Regional Mentor, Northern Interior Region
-
Vi Sorenson
Executive Director, Seniors’ Outreach and Resource Centre
Questions?
We’d love to hear from you!
Social Prescribing represents a healthcare approach that recognizes the profound impact of social and environmental factors on a person’s well-being. This approach involves connecting older adults with non-medical services and activities in their community, and they can be referred to a community-based Social Prescribing program by their primary care physician or other health practitioner.
Social Prescribing Community Connectors play a crucial role in engaging with these older adults and linking them to a wide range of local, non-clinical services provided by community agencies.
These social prescriptions can include various activities like participating in community groups, clubs, or classes, engaging in exercise sessions, joining walking groups, sports clubs, art classes, or music therapy, and exploring volunteer opportunities.
The positive effects of Social Prescribing are numerous and can lead to improved mental health, reduced social isolation, an overall enhancement in the quality of life, and decreased reliance on medical interventions.
One of the beneficiaries of this program is Bevy-Ann Hansen. In 2020, she returned to Canada after her husband’s passing, having spent two decades living in the United States.
Bevy-Ann encountered several challenges while resettling, such as having no income, social network, or suitable housing to accommodate her wheelchair disability, leaving her feeling isolated and alone, struggling with her emotions.
During her darkest moments, a ray of light appeared in the form of Trina, a Community Connector in the Social Prescribing program at Archway Community Services, which is funded by the Province of BC and administered by United Way BC.
A compassionate hospital social worker referred Bevy-Ann to the program after a fall, and Trina became her advocate. With Trina’s help, Bevy-Ann applied for government benefits, securing Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Trina’s support stabilized Bevy-Ann’s financial situation and empowered her. Bevy-Ann also received grocery deliveries through a food bank program and housekeeping services from United Way BC’s Better at Home program.
Through Archway and with Trina by her side, Bevy-Ann found a lifeline and an ally. She affirms, “Trina is the first person I come to if I am in trouble.”
There are 19 community agencies in BC that run United Way BC’s Healthy Aging Social Prescribing program, and who served 1,434 seniors in 2022-23.