Calgary Chapter#10 News
Message from our Calgary Chapter Chair – Susan Costello
On behalf of your CARP Calgary Board of Directors, I am delighted to share with you some of the activities of the Board. First of all, you are receiving this Newsletter because you are members of CARP Canada and we would like to extend an invitation to you to attend CARPCalgary’s (Chapter 10) events. We are also inviting you to get involved with our local Chapter either as a Board member or to participate on some of our committees. Your skills, experiences and enthusiasm would be welcomed and appreciated.
In December 2014, our Chapter Board completed a robust planning process which resulted in a clearer vision for our future direction and activities. We have also completed an environmental scan of services and programs for older adults in Calgary.
Our new Strategic and Action Plan is now complete and will be presented to the members and guests at our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 to which you all are invited. More detailed information to follow.
Please consider your involvement with your CARPCalgary Chapter and write to us at [email protected]. Thank you.
Upcoming Events – Save the dates!
Please Mark Your Calendar!
General Meetings with Guest Speaker
The Chapter organizes general meetings each year to update members on CARP Canada and CARP Calgaryactivities. The highlight of the meeting is a presentation on a topic that is of interest to our members and that is relevant to older adults.
The next meeting of the Calgary Chapter of CARP will be Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 1-3PM at the North Glenmore Community Hall at 2231 Longridge Drive Southwest, Calgary. All members of CARP and their guests are welcome to attend.
The speaker is a pharmacist with Shoppers Drug Mart Stores, who will tell us about the valuable health care services that a pharmacist can provide to help better manage and understand your medications. Come and hear this interesting speaker, enjoy a light refreshment and mingle with other older adults!
Please note that the meeting room is up one level of stairs (15 steps). There is an elevator but it is currently under repair and may not be operational. There is lots of free parking at the building.
Our annual general meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 27 and two more General Meetings have been scheduled for 2015 on Wednesday, September 23rd and Wednesday, November 25th. Further information will be provided in the fall.
We have a special event planned for Wednesday, June 3, 2015 when we will have a “Retirement Fair” at the West Hillhurst Community Association from 3-8PM. On hand will be organizations and companies of interest to our members. A food truck will be on site and there will be music and fun. This event is free for all CARP members and $2 at the door for others.
In the meantime, please mark these dates on your calendar.
Annual General Meeting
Official Notice -First Advisory
TAKE NOTICE THAT
the Annual General Meeting of the members of CARP Calgary Chapter will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at the North Glenmore Community Association building located at 2231 Longridge Dr SW, Calgary, for the purpose of:
• Receiving the audited financial statements for the previous year;
• Receiving and considering the Annual Report;
• Electing the board of directors for the next year; and
• Transacting such other business as may properly come before the meeting.
A light lunch will be served prior to the meeting starting at noon. While members of the public are welcome to attend, only members in good standing of the CARPCalgary Chapter or CARP Canada are entitled to participate in and vote at the meeting.
Nominations for election to the board of directors are now open. Board members must be members of CARPCalgary. Nominations can come from any other member or one can self-nominate. Please send an email message to nominate an individual with their resume/CV attached or self-nominate and attach your own CV. Message should be sent to the Chair, Susan Costello, at [email protected]. For further information call 403 256 1181.
Copies of the financial statements for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2015 will be available at the Annual General Meeting and may be requested in writing prior to the meeting.
Written notice must be received by the Secretary on or before May 1, 2015, of any motions to be made at the Annual Meeting.
DATED at Calgary this 10th day of March 2015.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Carolyn Guichon,
Secretary
Suite 351, 440 – 10816 Macleod Trail SE.
Calgary, AB. T2J 5N8
[email protected]
Calgary Seniors News Round Up
Things to know!
The 2015 Kerby Centre Seniors Directory of Services is an excellent publication provided at no charge by the Kerby Center and the City of Calgary. It is available online in an easy to read format. Seewww.kerbycentre.com. The Directory is also available where complimentary booklets, pamphlets, or newspapers are provided (outside grocery stores, libraries, etc.) or please contact the Kerby Center at 403-265-0661.
City of Calgary – Seniors Age-friendly Strategy
The City of Calgary is leading the development of a community-wide, Seniors Age-Friendly Strategy to ensure the city is ready to support Calgarians as they age.
Two members of the Board of Directors of CARP Calgaryassisted in writing the resolution that went to City Council and are also involved in the development of the strategy.
The strategy is currently in the development phase. The Seniors Age-Friendly Strategy team, community partners and older adults, have been working together to determine what will be needed to make sure Calgarians have the services and support they need as they age. “The strategy will address a number of areas considered critical for seniors to be able to maintain a healthy, active and independent life as long as possible,” says Raynell McDonough who is managing the project on behalf of The City. “It looks at areas such as transportation, housing, civic and social participation, to name a few.”
While the final strategy and implementation plan will be presented to Council in June of 2015, a lot of work has already been completed. Extensive engagement was conducted including focus groups with older adults and caregivers and a telephone survey with Calgarians to identify local concerns and priorities.
Working groups of subject matter experts have been established in eight focus areas (Housing, Transportation, In-Home Supports and Safety, Participation and Wellbeing, Access to Information, Financial and Employment Security, Elder Abuse Prevention and Response, and Dental Care Access and Affordability), and an additional working group to create a draft of the vision and principles.
On December 10, 2014, City Council approved the shared vision, principles and goals of the Seniors Age-Friendly Strategy. On December 16, 2014 Council formally declared its intent to seek designation forCalgary as an “Age-Friendly City” with the Government of Alberta and The World Health Organization.
For more information visit Calgary.ca/seniors.
Did You Know?
As of March 2011, there were about 410,000 seniors in Alberta but by 2031, when the last of the baby boomers reach 65 years of age, it is projected that there will be more than 923,000 seniors – meaning about one in five Albertans will be a senior. Copy and paste the following link to view the “Alberta is Aging” video:
http://www.seniors.alberta.ca/seniors/aging-population-video.html
Spotlight on CARP Canada
We are working hard for you!
A very valuable service that CARP Canada provides is advocating for social change that will bring financial security, equitable access to health care and freedom from discrimination for all Canadians as we age.
Susan Eng is the Vice-President for Advocacy. Susan and her team will be focusing on the following six issues in 2015:
1. Pension Reform including enhancement of the Canada Pension Plan,
2. Elimination of mandatory RRIF withdrawals that put older adults at risk of outliving their savings,
3. Requirement of fire sprinklers in all nursing homes,
4. A comprehensive redesign of the healthcare system to provide comprehensive 360 degrees of care,
5. Having a national discussion around end-of-life care and greater clarity for Canadians as they prepare for and deal with end-of-life issues, and
6. A paradigm shift in how we care for dementia so that Canadians receive the appropriate care when and where they need it.
For further information, cut and past the following link: http://www.carp.ca/2015/01/28/carp-advocacy-highlights-update-january-2015/
Participate in Research
Walking 10 blocks a day can help improve cognitive health and may even be good for joint health in the long term. Canadian health consumers are developing a new app called Walk 10 Blocks. Your input will help create a map-based app that will customize walking and exercise for all Canadian users. For more information, contact Jasmina Memetovic, Research Coordinator by phone at1-877-871-4575, or email [email protected].
Please take 10-15 minutes to fill out this survey. Complete the survey by clicking here.
