乌鸦传媒

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A road that began with disillusionment wound its way to Salmon Arm and to gratitude.

Sean Sands was once a physician practicing in Ontario. He developed cancer and became discouraged with the profession. He became disillusioned with the idea of people getting well through pharmaceuticals.

乌鸦传媒淚 thought, what am I doing?乌鸦传媒� he explained. 乌鸦传媒淚t took the cancer to motivate me to get out of that乌鸦传媒� I trained all my life to be in that profession. It乌鸦传媒檚 hard to leave if you have nothing to go to. When I left that lifestyle and began to be more physical, more basic, more simple living in nature, the symptoms and signs of any disease disappeared.乌鸦传媒�

He then spent many years in the wilderness, building his own houses and gardening.

乌鸦传媒淢y conclusion after a career in medicine was, what do you really need to be happy and healthy? Good food 乌鸦传媒� the best food you can get is by growing it, or buy it locally, what乌鸦传媒檚 fresh and whole. Low cost housing or shelter. And some sort of purpose.乌鸦传媒�

He came to Salmon Arm about a dozen years ago and didn乌鸦传媒檛 expect to stay. But he did. He is fortunate to have now been in the same relatively low-cost, one-bedroom apartment for at least 10 years. He gets a government payment as well as a SAFER grant for low-income seniors, which helps with the rent.

Sands doesn乌鸦传媒檛 own a vehicle so has avoided the cost of repairs, fuel and maintenance. He loves to walk and takes the bus when needed.

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Now in his early eighties, Sands picks up food for his neighbour who he said is incapacitated and diabetic, and he finds food for himself.

乌鸦传媒淚 find there乌鸦传媒檚 overwhelming abundance 乌鸦传媒� I have to be careful about consuming too much.乌鸦传媒�

He is vegetarian so eats primarily fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. He gleans what he can and also goes to the food bank. If he sees walnuts, apples and plums abandoned in a yard, he will ask permission to go in and glean.

Sands has a memory challenge since developing a seizure disorder in 2008, so he has gone to the Seniors Resource Centre in the past for assistance. He said a person there will help with a variety of paperwork.

Staff in the thrift stores are always friendly and generous, he added.

乌鸦传媒淭he all-churches thrift store is a tremendous resource. Any of my household needs, kitchen needs, furniture needs, it乌鸦传媒檚 usually available at a very reasonable price. Anything I don乌鸦传媒檛 need I bring back to there. Clothing is very available.乌鸦传媒�

Asked if he thinks Salmon Arm offers enough social connections for people who are older, he said he hasn乌鸦传媒檛 explored that to a great degree. He乌鸦传媒檚 aware of the 5th Avenue 50 Plus Activity Centre, where different activities are offered.

乌鸦传媒淲alking is my entertainment. The different nature trails are just beautiful.乌鸦传媒�

Asked if winter is a struggle, he said no.

乌鸦传媒淭here are occasional times where I would stay indoors for wet snow or too much ice on the hilly parts of the roadway 乌鸦传媒� I take caution at those times.乌鸦传媒�

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He speaks of his gratitude for being in Salmon Arm.

乌鸦传媒�Paradise presents with the small city, the vista with the mountains not being so close that you乌鸦传媒檙e crowded or overwhelmed by them but they乌鸦传媒檙e beautiful in the distance.乌鸦传媒�

He points to the beauty of the lake and nature trails.

乌鸦传媒淩elative peace in the community rather than struggle and violence and so on. It乌鸦传媒檚 really a wonderful place to be.乌鸦传媒�

Sands said gratitude has been an evolutionary process, making mistakes and having consequences, learning from those consequences and changing.

He thinks Salmon Arm does a lot to meet people乌鸦传媒檚 needs.

乌鸦传媒淎ll this is relative to what you乌鸦传媒檙e comparing with.乌鸦传媒�

He acknowledged that times are definitely changing with shelter and food prices increasing so dramatically.

But he notes food is available and perhaps the lack of housing is an indication of the need to downsize, smaller homes for more people and less accumulation of belongings.

He points to somewhere like the city of Shanghai with 30 million people. Or 10 people living in a single room somewhere.

Or people in Ethiopia, starving to death in a war situation.

It helps to have 乌鸦传媒渁n attitude of gratitude,乌鸦传媒� he says.

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Lack of food, housing are common issues for seniors

Patti Thurston sees many people, particularly senior women, who are struggling to find accommodation and afford food.

Executive director of the Shuswap Family Centre, Thurston said a large buy-up of rental housing throughout the region in the spring of 2022 left a number of people with 60 days乌鸦传媒� notice to find housing.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 seniors. We have a senior living in her car.乌鸦传媒�

Men may be less likely to ask for help, she said. But people come in to the centre for food, some who are very isolated.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 isolation, fear and shame.乌鸦传媒�

Monica Kriese, coordinator with the Salmon Arm and Area Community Response Network, has also noticed a growing trend of seniors needing food support, with more people going to food banks and free lunch programs.

She also notes: 乌鸦传媒淢any of those that volunteer at the free meal programs are seniors too and they are feeling the pinch of the price of groceries for the meals they make for these programs乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮�媒�

Like Thurston, Kriese also refers to the shortage of housing, and seniors being forced to move out of rentals. Transportation can also be a struggle.

Jane Shirley, executive director with the SAFE Society, says many issues have amplified since Covid.

乌鸦传媒淐ost of living and lack of suitable affordable housing often has seniors continue to live in unsafe environments, whether that be with an abusive family member, partner or landlord.乌鸦传媒�

Katherine Kreller, senior advisor at the Seniors乌鸦传媒� Resource Centre at 320 Second Ave. NE in Salmon Arm, helps seniors navigate paper work, including the SAFER (Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters) and other programs.

乌鸦传媒淚n my experience a lot of people don乌鸦传媒檛 know what they乌鸦传媒檙e entitled to,乌鸦传媒� she said, noting also that people over 70 don乌鸦传媒檛 always have a computer or aren乌鸦传媒檛 always computer savvy.

As well, some people aren乌鸦传媒檛 aware of the many programs offered by the centre and other organizations, she said.

Kreller also investigates where to find less expensive options.

乌鸦传媒淲hy should hearing aids be so expensive when people have the most limited amount of money they乌鸦传媒檝e ever had in their lives?乌鸦传媒� she asks.

That乌鸦传媒檚 a problem she乌鸦传媒檚 currently investigating.

乌鸦传媒淚 think seniors are a bit forgotten乌鸦传媒� They deserve attention from our society and I don乌鸦传媒檛 think they乌鸦传媒檙e getting it.乌鸦传媒�

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Looking for resources in Salmon Arm and the Shuswap?

Asking for help can be hard, but a community of support is available. Below are some services available to you. Also, if you乌鸦传媒檇 like to help, many organizations can use volunteers.

Seniors Resource Centre

Offers information and referrals to services, as well as a number of programs and services such as meal programs, volunteer run drivers乌鸦传媒� programs, information about seniors programs and services such as pensions, income supplements, old age security, tax help and activities. Call 250-832-7000 or email: seniorsresourcecentre@gmail.com.

Seniors Mental Health

Interior Health program to support older adults with mental health disorders and issues related to aging, including dementia. Services include assessment, treatment, community supports, case management and caregiver support. Located at: Salmon Arm Health Centre, 851 16 St. NE. Call 250-833-4100.

Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL)

Information and referral line providing intake for legal and victim service programs and assistance for older adults. Call 604-437-1940, toll-free 1-866-437-1940. TTY 604-428-3359, TTY toll-free 1-855-306-1443.

Shuswap Better at Home

A program that helps seniors with tasks by coordinating simple, non-medical services to support seniors to stay in their homes living independently. Services include light house and yard work, snow removal, transportation to appointments, grocery shopping and friendly visits. Go to: www.shuswapbetterathome.ca Call 250-253-2749.

5th Avenue 50 Plus Seniors乌鸦传媒� Activity Centre

The centre provides many daily activities, lunches and more designed to meet the physical and social needs of senior members of the community and surrounding area, 170 5th Ave. Call 250-832-1065.

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Crisis and Information Lines

Sometimes people need immediate support or resources. Did you know that British Columbia provides phone lines for a range of issues? These services are free, confidential and can help you identify resources for your situation.

BC211 乌鸦传媒� Free, confidential, 24/7 support finding resources in more than 150 languages. Dial 2-1-1.

8-1-1 乌鸦传媒� Free provincial health information phone service 乌鸦传媒� Dial 8-1-1 (7-1-1 for deaf and hard of hearing).

310 Mental Health Support 乌鸦传媒� For emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health. Call 310-6789 (no area code needed).

Crisis Support 乌鸦传媒� 1-800-SUICIDE if you are considering suicide or are concerned someone you know may be.

Crisis Line - Call 1-888-353-CARE (2273).

Kids Help Phone 乌鸦传媒� 1-800-668-6868 for access to a counsellor 24 hours a day.

KUU-S (Indigenous Crisis Line) 乌鸦传媒� 1-800-588-8717.

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This is the fourth and final segment in a bi-weekly series on poverty, its effects and services available. It is in conjunction with a campaign by the City of Salmon Arm and its Social Impact Advisory Committee to address poverty and help ensure residents know where to find resources.

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