Active Aging

4 Active Aging Week | OCTOBER 5-11, 2020 F or years, they've been a demographic who have largely suffered in silence. Then, the coronavirus arrived as late winter transitioned into spring. It wasn't long before that long-silent demographic — older adults — were in the news as record numbers of those aged 55- plus perished from COVID-19 in Canada and beyond. "The vulnerability of older adults has come to the surface during COVID," says Amanda Macrae, CEO of Winnipeg-based A & O: Support Services for Older Adults. "We've needed to be there for older adults pre-COVID, during COVID, and will need to be there for them post-COVID. They need to be part of every policy decision we make." Macrae says it's important that older adults be seen as a valuable part of society. "Older adults shouldn't be an afterthought — that they've had a good life and aren't an important part of society as they get up in age. It doesn't matter who you are — we have to value the contributions of all ages and realize what's good for older adults is good for all of us." Since 1957, A & O has been ministering to older adults, helping them attain the highest possible quality of life in their latter years, recognizing that each individual needs a different type of support. "We need to be careful about the concept of aging," says Macrae. "We're all different, and we all age in a different way. We're here to support older adults and give them the tools they need to age well." Those tools are delivered through three core programs: safety and security, social engagement and counselling. "We call those programs and services our three pillars. Under safety and security, one of our key services is elder abuse prevention. Last year, we had 333 people that we helped out, spending 180 hours on elder abuse works. And those were just the folks who came forward." Once an individual comes forward, they can then qualify for A & O's safe suite program, where abused men and women are placed in a safe suite to receive one-on- one counselling and recover from the abuse they've suffered. Another key program goes by the name This Full House, adds Macrae. "It deals with hoarding behaviour," she explains. "In some instances, people can't use a kitchen stove or a room because of stacks of papers or books that are in the way. We send in a registered social worker to help older adults make difficult choices about belongings in their home and to decrease the anxiety they may feel about letting go of their belongings." Meanwhile, pillar number two — social engagement — uses a three-pronged approach to help older adults stay connected with the outside world. "Social engagement was important before the pandemic but is even more critical now. Our first Senior Centre Without Walls (SCWW) provides educational and recreational programming in a fun, interactive atmosphere that's provided over the phone," Macrae says. "Topics include health and wellness, support groups and more. You can A&O adapts to new normal BY TODD LEWYS "We've needed to be there for older adults pre-COVID, during COVID, and will need to be there for them post-COVID. They need to be part of every policy decision we make." – Amanda Macrae, CEO of Winnipeg-based A & O: Support Services for Older Adults

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