Senior’s Advocacy Forum

CHAPTER REPORTS

senior’s advocacy forum

Lorraine Forrest

On October 23, from noon until four, the Winnipeg Retired Teachers Chapter hosted a Seniors’ Advocacy Forum at The Good Neighbours’ Active Living Centre on Henderson Highway The event was sponsored by the Education Advocacy Committee of R.T.A.M working in partnership with the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres (M.A.S.C.) and Age Friendly Manitoba.

The organizing committee consisted of Peggy Prendergast, R.T.A.M. board member, Connie Newman, Executive Director of Senior Centres, Cath McFarlane, Community Facilitator of the River East Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (W.R.H.A.) and myself as President of the hosting chapter.

Thompson, Dauphin and Portage La Prairie retired teacher chapters had already presented similar events and had found them well received by their communities. The forums were available to ALL seniors in the area. Our forum focused on the areas of Elmwood, River East and Transcona. Working with Cath McFarlane of the area’s W.R.H.A. was excellent! Cath knew the area well, was well connected with all the Senior groups and had access to any speakers needed.

A poster was created by a professional person and between volunteers from the Retired Teachers of Winnipeg and staff from the Regional Health Authority, posters went up throughout the areas. We found that no grocery store chains had any place to put up posters, community clubs only displayed their own activities, but all the churches, senior centres and senior blocks were very interested in displaying the posters. Information was also put in the Good Neighbour’s Newsletter.

We served lunch to thirteen speakers and forty-two participants. Kildonan East Collegiate culinary students made lasagna while the salad and garlic bread was made by Good Neighbours. Participants paid five dollars to register and an additional three dollars was subsidized by RTAM for lunch. Participants received RTAM bags, note books and pens and glass cleaners. Tables were set up with helpful information for seniors.

The program was filled with information for seniors in the targeted area, From the Access Centre a Team Manager and a Community Housing Coordinator provided two sessions on Home Care and Housing