Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Seniors Service Organizations in Burnaby
MLA Statements

As the winter season falls upon us, wet air blows around the city and temperatures sink in the long night. It's the warmness of the family that fills our hearts.

In our society a family unit usually consists of two generations: parents and children. But in many cultures, a family is home to three or four generations. Seniors and extended families share their wisdom, time and energy with the younger generations and receive care from them.

When seniors live independently from their children or grandchildren, they need more services from the community. In Burnaby we have a wide range of seniors services provided by the Fraser Health, the city of Burnaby and many non-profit organizations.

Of government's 5,000-bed commitments, 1,400 are in the Fraser Health. Fraser Health offers home and community care services, which include nursing, rehabilitation and long-term care, flu clinics, diabetes education, mental health and addiction services and a fall-prevention mobile clinic that travels around the Fraser Health area providing education to seniors on how to prevent falls.

The city of Burnaby and citizen support services offer Seniors Active in Living — SAIL — a phone buddy program, a volunteer visitor program, outings for the elderly, Burnaby Partners in Seniors Wellness and Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions.

We are very fortunate to have volunteers providing so many seniors services. In the Seniors Well Aware Program, a counsellor visits seniors who have problems with alcohol, medication or other drugs at their home. The Burnaby Seniors Outreach Services Society promotes emotional health and trains peer counsellors to support seniors through difficult times.

We are also home to the Burnaby Meals on Wheels, North Burnaby Retired Society, Seniors South Asian Friendship Society, Burnaby Fall Prevention Society, care givers support groups and Burnaby Hospice Society.