A group of area residents is looking to give Sundre High School (SHS) students work experience with seniors in the community performing duties their elders are unable to.
Sundre councillor Myron Thompson called a meeting last week to discuss the possibility with fellow councillors, Mayor Annette Clews, SHS principal Jason Drent, and members of Greenwood Neighbourhood Place. Members of the Mountain View Seniors' Housing committee, a home care volunteer, a representative from the health unit in Sundre and the manager at Foothills Lodge were also present. The meeting was held at council chambers on Thursday, Sept. 27.
Thompson said the service would be similar to candystripers, which was a service in town several years ago for youth to help seniors in the community.
Students would help with feeding, running errands, making beds, putting laundry away and those types of things.
“They would help them with chores and duties that they need to do that they just have trouble doing, because of physical impairment or what ever the case might be,” said Thompson.
The students would also help staff with duties required to maintain the facilities. It would be left up to the health unit as to where the students would work, such as the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre or the Foothills Lodge.
Thompson believes the service would be successful and that seniors take a liking to youth. The students would earn credits through SHS and it could lead them into nursing or the health-care industry.
He was happy with how the meeting went and said all parties were keen on the idea. He said the plan is for Drent to start creating interest at the school and then each party involved would advertise the service to the community. Each party involved would go to Drent, let him know what they were looking for, and Drent would then find the interested students.
“I'm really excited that it was received so well and I'm looking for a real successful program to begin soon.”
Clews said at the meeting that she was a candystriper in Grade 9 and enjoyed helping out at the lodge.
Drent said work experience is big at SHS; however, the provincial government cut back 70 per cent of the funding the last school year. Chinook's Edge School Division is now covering the costs.
The home care volunteer present at the meeting said with living in a small town, confidentiality of the seniors could be an issue.
