A new provincial grant program launched this month to better help Alberta seniors "live healthy, engaged lives" has the potential to be good news for the community at large.
Whether municipalities and other stakeholder groups will make good use of the new initiative remains to be seen.
The $1,000,000 Aging Well in Community grants initiative is designed to assist locally based organizations by providing funding for community programs that “remove barriers and help seniors stay in their homes and engage in their communities.”
Projects approved under the program will help address issues such as social inclusion, elder abuse and ageism.
Lori Sigurdson, minister of seniors and housing, says municipalities, community groups and other organizations should be encouraged to make the most of the new program.
“Seniors should be able to live safely and independently in their communities, close to loved ones. I am proud of this grant program that will establish new ways to shape bright, active futures for seniors in Alberta,” said Sigurdson.
Organizations are invited to submit project-based proposals for the development of programs, services, and pilot and research projects, including new, one-time or expanded initiatives, geared toward the safety and independence of Alberta seniors, she said.
The Aging Well in Community grant initiative is focused on collaboration, innovation, sustainability, and initiatives that “utilize best practices, evaluation outcomes and research finds to identify and address the needs and issues of seniors,” she said.
As one of the largest populations in Alberta, seniors contribute to the overall well-being of the province in many ways throughout the year.
In fact, without seniors' support in areas such as volunteerism, business ownership, entrepreneurial support, and involvement at all levels of government, both in elected and non-elected roles, Alberta would be a much less successful place.
As such, this new grant initiative aimed at supporting Alberta’s vital senior citizen community is money well spent.
Hopefully municipalities and other groups will make the effort and take the opportunity to access and use this new grant program.
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
