MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has been updated on Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) activities and plans, including a request for funding for enhanced activities as COVID-19 restrictions relax.
Chief administrative officer Sam Smalldon recently appeared before Mountain View County council as a delegation.
A housing management body under the Alberta Housing Act, MVSH operates seniors lodges in Olds, Didsbury, Sundre and Carstairs, as well as 12 manor sites, with a total of 440 residents.
It is funded in part through requisitions to area municipalities, including Mountain View County.
Due to the pandemic, a total of $23,500 in grant money was given to MVSH by the county for transportation but was not spent and therefore returned to the county.
MVSH would like to see those funds re-granted for 2022 so the money can be used for enhanced programs, activities and additional new technology for lodge residents, he said.
“The fact that our residents have not be able to get out in to the community in the last two years has, in my opinion, greatly affected their health and well-being, as well as their mobility,” said Smalldon.
“We want our seniors to get out into the community and be active once again. And when they are inside they also need to have activities.”
The proposal is for $7,500 of the $23,500 to go toward activities and enhanced programs at MVSH facilities.
“Enhancing these programs will provide seniors greater opportunity to exercise and improve both their mental well-being, cognition and mobility,” he said.
“MVSH does provide regular programs including entertainment and visits by outside community groups, but these funds would be split between the lodge sites for extra and enhanced activities and programming in 2022.”
The proposal is also to allocate $1,000 per MVSH site to provide iPads for seniors to use in making connections to family, friends and members of the community, as well as for some additional services such as movies on a subscription basis at the sites.
“I think these funds will be well spent and well received by the seniors,” he said.
Council will consider the grant funding request at an upcoming council meeting, perhaps on March 23.
Meanwhile, Smalldon also gave councillors an update on the proposed new lodge in Carstairs.
“The project is ready for the (provincial) grant application,” he said. “We are just waiting for the announcement for the competition for those funds included in that $204 million (in budget 2022).”
The plan is to replace the existing Chinook Winds Lodge with a new facility located east of Hugh Sutherland School, he said.
Smalldon also gave councillors an update on MVSH’s pandemic response, which came into effect in March 2020.
“We look forward to closing this chapter as soon as the chief medical officer of health eliminates restrictions and protocols,” he said.
There were no positive COVID-19 cases for residents or staff when he reported on March 9.
Smalldon commended the many MVSH staff members who have cared for residents during the pandemic.
“Our staff have done incredibly well,” he said, noting 100 per cent of staff are fully vaccinated.
Lobbying on behalf of area seniors by the county and others is always welcome, he said.
“We have a list of issues that we would advocate for seniors and we would love to have any support by the county through the (Rural Municipalities of Alberta) and AUMA (now Alberta Municipalities) to get resolutions passed to be able to tell the government that as a group we all need these changes,” he said.
For example, making all Alberta seniors eligible for access to Alberta Seniors Benefit would be welcome, he said.
