Local seniors work together to help each other keep well

AS QUR population grows older,
living a long, healthy life into
one's senior years is no longer
enough; staying fit after 50, 60 or
70 years of age is equally impor-
tant.

Greg Felton
Contributing Writer

For. eight years, the communi-
ty-based North Shore Keep Well
Society has been providing four
free weekly drop-ins for peaple
aged 50 and older.

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

ee EXERCISE. CLASSES are just one thing
North Shore Keep Welt offers to keep.

: _Sentors healthy and happy. |

The centres serve as activity
and resource centres,

“We're mainly dealing with
fairly well seniors They have to
come on their own or arrange
their own transportation,” said
Keep Well program director Elise
Shepherd.

“We want lo reach active
seniors, keep them active, and be
a resource for them,”

Each centre runs on a different
day of the week and each offers a
combination of exercise and
information programs,

Mornings feature
the walking club
and mild chair exer-
cises and after lunch
there are group dis-
cussions and guest
speakers. All activi-
lies are Jed by vol-
unteers in the com-
munity, among
whom are certified
fitness instructors.

Shepherd said
the basic philosophy
of the Keep Well
program is that
seniors should help
other seniors to live
in better health.

“The volunteers

- are mostly seniors
_ themselves (many
_., of whom) are retired
-health professionals,
‘We've been able to
attract a lot of
retired nurses, nutri-
tionists, (and) phar-
macists,” she said

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“A pharmacist comes in once a
week to answer questions about
medication, The seniars get one-
to-one attention and the security
that they have some place to come
to Find answers.”

Other medical services offered
are blood pressure monitoring and
massage,

Shepherd said some people
just love to have hand massages
because it gives them a chance to
sit and chat while receiving a
treatment that doctors and institu-
tians are too busy to provide.

The Keep Well program is pat-

terned after a West End program .

called Be Well developed by Dr.
Nancy Hall.

Bight ycars ago, Shepherd
said, five seniors had the notion
that wellness cenires were needed
on the North Shore.

With temporary funding from
the federal government in the
form of a New Horizon grant,
they approached seniors’ centres
looking for space. They found
three locations: two in North
Vancouver (North. Shore
Neighbourhood House and Silver

‘Harbour Centre), and one in West
. Vancouver (The West Vancouver

Seniors’ Activity Centre.

“Those three facilities were
offered free of charge because
they wanted a program Jike (ours)
and we could provide it.”

Three years ago, Keep Well
expanded into Deep Cove at the
request of the community because
many seniors found it too expen-
sive to travel to the Silver
Harbour Centre at 22nd St. and

St. Georges.

By expanding, Shepherd said
the society showed its commit-
ment to reach oul to the neediest
seniors, who could not afford ta
join a recreation centre or another
organization,

As for funding, the annual
budget is only $25,000 to $30,000
and each year the society appeals
to the civic governments for
money. Last year North
Vancouver District gave $4,500
and North Vancouver City gave
$500 but West Vancouver gave
nothing.

Shepherd said the four centres
see on average 200 people per
week, which works out to more
than 44,000 per year,

And the demand keeps grow-
ing: Shepherd said the fifth centre
just opened in. the Karen
Magnussen arena and is expected
to receive 20 to 30 people per
week, ;

In addition, she said, space has
been allocated in the. new
Parkdale seniors’ housing com-
plex on Mount Seymour Parkway:

“But that’s a year or two down
the road.”

—J

LIONS GATE HOSPITAL

A Caring Community —

A Lasting Gift

ions Gate Hospital plays a major part in our lives. It touches us,
our families and our neighbours in some way almost every day. It

is ours, and it deserves our support.

Many times through thoughtful estate planning there exists an opportunity
to look after family and at the same time contribute to the betterment of the
community in a significant and lasting way. Gifts to Lions Gate Hospital
Foundation through bequests, annuities, property and life insurance are
some of the ways that you and your family may make a larger contribution
in the future than might be possible today.

A gift through your estate will help to ensure that all of the resources needed
to keep pace with the changing world of health care are available for North
Shore families well into the future.

If you would like to review your plans or would like more information on
making a gift please call Sheilah Grant, Director of Development at

984-5785 to arrange an appointment.
Lions Gate Hospital Foundation

LIONS GATE
KOUS PITAL
RETO AT]

- 231 East 15th Street
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7L 2L7