As Canada’s population ages, more and more seniors are living in retirement homes secluded from the wider community.
To change that, Jasper’s Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge would like to see more people come into the lodge to share their experiences and interact with seniors.
“The more events we can bring in here, the better off I think our community as a whole will be,” said Julie DesBecquets, the activity coordinator for the lodge.
Since taking over the position in November, DesBecquets has worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between young and old, organizing as many activities as possible to bring the generations together.
“There is such a huge separation between the generations,” said DesBecquets, “We hardly ever see young people come in and that’s something that’s really missing.”
She said the biggest barrier she faces when organizing activities is the mobility of the people living in the lodge. That’s why she has opted to invite people from the community to come to the lodge.
“This is their home and they’re happy to have people come to their home and present to them as much as they possibly can,” she said.
“We want it to remain an open door concept where anyone can come in,” she said, explaining the presentations should be for the seniors, but encouraged people to invite their friends and family to come along.
Last week, Kim Wallace, a teacher with the Learning Connection at the Palisades Stewardship Education Centre, dropped by to share stories about her experience working as a teacher on a tall ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Her presentation included a slideshow of photos, allowing her to explain, both through pictures and words, what it was like working on a ship for nine months with up to 60 students at a time.
“I just feel really grateful that I was able to share my story and was invited in to share my story,” she said following the event.
“They are a willing and eager audience, and for me it’s a way to spend time with people who have beautiful stories to share and have served our communities in amazing ways,” she said.
Wallace’s two and half hour presentation touched on various topics, including the ups and downs of working and living in tight quarters on a ship, as well as the different ports she visited.
“In our culture, for whatever reason, we kind of put [seniors] to the side and don’t always integrate them as well as we might be able to,” said Wallace.
“I’ve gotten a lot of love from the seniors in our community, and inspiration, so it seems really fitting to me to be able to give back and give them a little bit of adventure and joy.”
She said she hopes more people in the community will consider volunteering a few hours of their time to share their own adventures and experiences.
DesBecquets said the presentations can be about anything, from drum circles to painting, to stories about a recent trip or adventure.
“We’re really trying to find people that want to volunteer, even if it’s just volunteering on a weekly basis or doing one presentation or event,” said DesBecquets, explaining that the lodge is also looking for drivers to drive the seniors’ bus.
Anyone interested in doing a presentation or volunteering with the Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge is encouraged to call 780-852-4881.
Paul Clarke
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