Editorials

Promoting seniors' issues
- By Jennifer Isaac
  Freelance writer

Seniors in Calgary are more active and are living longer than elders of past generations, says Colette Osweiler-Fritz, president of the Calgary Chapter of the Alberta Association on Gerontology (CC-AAG).

The group is a province-wide interdisciplinary organization that supports persons involved with gerontology, in order to enhance the lives of the aging population.

"In our Calgary Chapter, we focus on educational presentations and networking opportunities," Osweiler-Fritz says. As part of the provincial body, the two organizations work closely together toward the common goals of information exchange and increased awareness.

"We want to encourage and support the knowledge regarding gerontological areas." Seniors today face important issues that include appropriate housing and health models that support their lifestyles. "Sixteen years ago, when a group of nurses started this organization, there wasn't any literature about gerontology and there were no network links for people involved with seniors," says Anthea Hibbert, vice-president of the Calgary Chapter.

Through the years, the CC-AAG continued to expand in order to make information more accessible to the public. "As well, the board has developed strong connections with professional links in order to gain increased access to government documents," she says. "As a local chapter, we can help to influence policies that affect seniors."
The group is representative of parties who are interested in ensuring that our aging population is getting accurate information, says Jaryll Dunne, public relations chair for the board. "An additional goal is to encourage and support basic and applied research," Dunne says. "There is always strength in numbers."

Another mandate of the group is to provide educational opportunities to those studying gerontology. With this in mind, a scholarship of $500 is awarded annually to a student in the gerontology program at Mount Royal College. To date, the Calgary Chapter has committed $1,500 toward scholarships. "The purpose of the scholarship is to support Calgarians in extending their formal knowledge of aging so that they can better enhance the lives of the older McDermid, co-chair of education.

The board consists of a diverse group of professionals, bringing to the group a mosaic of experience. "Seniors don't need just one thing," says Hibbert. "They need a variety. We get more ideas and understanding of issues from people of various backgrounds."

Members of the group are employed by a variety of agencies that work with older adults, including Elder Hostel and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Through the various links within the organization, the group helps to enhance the lives of the aging population.
"Some members work with older adults in housing, care centres, home care, financial planning and final arrangements," Hibbert says. "Others work with special groups of older adults such as those from other cultures, those who are developmentally disabled or those with speech or hearing problems."

Creating an awareness among the public that there is an increasing demographic of aging people is important in the years ahead. "Network and Nosh is the name of our educational seminars," says Margaret Usherwood, provincial liaison and board member. "It provides an opportunity for people with an interest in gerontology to get together and expand their knowledge base. "Being Alberta, we want to be proactive." Active participation in an organization like CC-AAG provides an opportunity to learn and share knowledge and resources with each other. "In this way, we can acknowledge the diversity of older adults and we can support each other through times of growth and change," says McDermid.

Currently, the group's membership stands at nearly 100, with room to expand. Members enjoy a number of perks with their yearly membership: they get discounts on workshops focusing on issues in gerontology; they learn about potential employment opportunities; and they gain an opportunity to participate in the annual seniors' resource fairs. "We also initiate fundraising events to enable us to facilitate and co-ordinate events for our members and interested community members," says Osweiler-Fritz. For more information, check out www.ccaag.com.

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