COCHRANE - A new grant is being used to help a Cochrane senior living residence open up programming to more seniors.
Cadence Residence has received a $25,000 grant from the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility through a project called Bridging the Gap — Increasing Social Connection Among Generations.
The facility is owned and operated by the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSAB). While it already offers programming for its residents, facility manager Tina Turner said the grant will allow it to open many of its events to all seniors in the community.
“They'll be invited to come into Cadence on the first Tuesday of the month to participate in our exercises in the morning, followed by an active game — that can be anything from beanbag, to ball and rope toss, to darts, to shuffleboard — and then they will stay for a complimentary lunch and then in the afternoon we're going to be having a monster bingo,” Turner said.
There will also be a bilingual Catholic mass on Friday mornings, one to two monthly presentations to talk about topics such as mental health, elder abuse, anti-fraud strategies, Alzheimer’s, dementia, or fall prevention, as well as a monthly coffee hour with live entertainment.
The grant funding started in October and runs to March 2024.
“We're hoping to reduce social isolation because we do realize that since the pandemic, there are many seniors that still live in isolation, and it has greatly impacted their mental health. So, we’re hoping to have Cadence act as a hub where seniors can come for a meal, for social opportunities, physical activity, or cognitive stimulation,” she said.
“Our seniors here ... greatly benefit from a very comprehensive activity program and we see our seniors who live at Cadence thrive because of the overall sort of wraparound approach of all the activities and events that we have here.”
Given the state of the current economy, Turner is hoping seniors who are struggling financially will also benefit from the program.
“It will be great for them to be able to come in and get a free meal or participate in some free activities and at the same time, benefit from that social contact with others,” she said.
An announcement for the grant was made on Nov. 2. Turner was extremely happy with the turnout.
"We had a packed house. It also gave the community seniors a chance to come to Cadence because it in itself is a community. There’s also a lot of people that still believe we are long-term care, so that was a perfect opportunity for people to come in and see that we are retirement living,” she said.
Any seniors in the community who are interested in the events being offered at Cadence Residence can visit the facility directly to obtain a brochure with a schedule of upcoming activities as well as a monthly calendar, or visit its Facebook page.
