A & O: Support Services for older adults continues to provide support to older adults in the time of COVID-19


Plan. To Make It Right.®


No one wants to think about their death any sooner than they must, but planning your funeral and cemetery services in advance, called “advanced planning” or “prearranging,” is a responsible, caring act that can reduce stress for your grieving loved ones. It’s easy to understand how making decisions now about your final arrangements can help assure those left behind that your wishes are being honoured.


Benefits of Preplanning


 Take responsibility for your arrangements to be sure your wishes are met.


 Eliminate guesswork for your family.


 Personalize your service.


 Avoid emotional overspending.


 Find the value and quality you want.


 Lock in today’s prices.


So don’t wait. Start planning now.


Contact a Dignity Memorial® provider near you and request a


complimentary Personal Planning Guide, a helpful tool to keep your personal affairs and wishes organized.


THOMSON “IN THE PARK” FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY 1291 McGillivray Blvd, Winnipeg 204-925-1120


THOMSON FUNERAL HOME


669 Broadway, Winnipeg 204-783-7211


GREEN ACRES


FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY Hwy. #1 E. at Navin Road, Winnipeg 204-222-3241


KLASSEN FUNERAL HOME 1897 Henderson Hwy, Winnipeg 204-338-0331


motely through individual phone calls, group conference calls and through a variety of video conference platforms. In response to the COVID-19, pan- demic A & O is pleased to be able to offer the following NEW innovative programs and services: 311 Call Center Partnership - NEW


D


On April 16, 2020, the City of Win- nipeg, United Way Winnipeg, and A & O: Support Services for Older Adults announced a new partnership to provide additional support for older Winnipeggers. Winnipeg older adults who may be feeling isolated and in need of food security assistance during this trying time, can call 311 to be connected with a num- ber of resources available through A & O: Support Services for Older Adults, including assistance with delivery of groceries, medications, or specialized so- cial services.


Daily Hello Program - NEW Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns re-


Income security I


Peggy Prendergast


n this world changed by COVIC-19 what does In- come Security now mean for Seniors? Where do we go with the haunting memories


of the scenes of older adults trapped in long term care situations looking sadly and hopelessly


through out-of-reach


windows at out-of-reach loved ones? The constant reminder to “stay home” and “socially distance” and basically do nothing but become dependent on family and society is a big guilt trip to those of us that are the most vulner- able to the virus and yet usually inde- pendent.


It is indeed a paradoxical time. As a


retired teacher in a society where social isolation is a leading issue of concern for older adults in the best of times, I now must live in “social isolation” to stay alive. For someone where independence has been something to achieve and live for I now must go out of my way to stay connected in creative ways and become dependent. How does someone turn their world upside down overnight and stay sane?


Is MONEY actually the answer for Senior’s income security? Initially I was saving money because of iso- lation. The Federal and Provincial governments are offering onetime payments to older adults who file income tax returns to cover expenses of: dispensing fees for prescriptions, transportation and food deliv- ery during the pandemic. My secure income comes from government- controlled pensions. My question is what happens after the pandemic eases? I have the same income and expenses in a changed economic en- vironment. Will these pensions change? Pensions were introduced during the Great Depres- sion in the 1930’s so that older people would retire


Gillian Aldous Podiatry


Podiatry treatments available Monday to Friday in the office, home visits arranged: • Difficult to cut, thickened, ingrown, fungal nails • Callus, hard skin, corns • Warts • Diabetic advice and assessment • Biomechanical assessments and orthotics dispensing if needed • Advice on footwear


Blue Cross coverage accepted Suite 320, 1600 Ness Avenue, Winnipeg | Phone: 204-504-8986 | Email: Gillyp10@Hotmail.com 10 whatsupwinnipeg.ca June 2020


uring these, uncertain times A & O: Support Services for Older Adults continues to pro- vide programs and services to older adults re-


garding the impact of the social isolation of at risk older adults, a new Daily Hello program has been added to A & O’s Senior Centre Without Walls pro- gram. This program is a 15-minute friendly check-in offered Monday to Friday.


Wellness Kits - NEW Wellness kits containing hand sani- A & O:


Support Services for Older Adults


tizer, soap, a roll of wrapped toilet pa- per, travel sized tissue and community resources will be distributed to at risk / vulnerable older adults in our com- munity.


Senior Centre Without Walls Older Manitobans can increase their


social interaction from home by taking part in FREE social activities offered to all older adults aged 55+ via tele-


phone. For more information on these new initiatives or


about any of A & O’s programs and services please visit our website at aosupportservices.ca or contact us at: A & O: Support Services for Older Adults is located at 200-280 Smith Street, Winnipeg. Call 204-956-6440, email intake@aosupportservices.ca, or go online to www. aosupportservices.ca.


to provide employment opportunities for the younger adult population. The age of introducing the concept of retirement was 65 based on life expectancy then. Unemployment of younger adults is again a big issue. Because life expectancies have changed considerably, will that affect my pensions and thus my income security? Older adults that are retired are not


valued or respected in our society as they once were. Unpaid work or vol- unteering is not as valued as paid work. The resource of the retiree that should be


monetarily


Retired Teachers Association of Manitoba


valued somehow is


TIME. For instance, one of the RTAM Chapters had an idea for a Manitoba 150th Birthday present. Many mem- bers donated $150 each to a fund in celebration of Manitoba’s 150th birth- day. Over $3,500 was raised and do- nated to three pandemic charities in


the rural Chapter’s community. The time involved in generating the idea, contacting the members and then deciding how to distribute the money was the very es- sence of somehow staying socially connected through emails, ZOOM and telephone during this pandemic. TIME spent in volunteer social engagement is


worth far more to the retirees involved than the mon- ey raised, although the money is also a saving to tax payers and very much appreciated by the people in the charities involved. Maybe the concept of a guaranteed annual income


needs to be discussed again to even out income se- curity at all ages but, more importantly, to foster so- cial engagement intergenerationally. Retired Teachers (RTAM) is an amazing resource throughout Manitoba with an extensive background working with all ages. Peggy Prendergast is the President of the Retired Teach-


ers’ Association of Manitoba (RTAM). RTAM is located at 206 – 1555 St. James St., Winnipeg. Call 1-204-889-3660, email info@rtam.mb.ca or go online to www.rtam.mb.ca.


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