Mission project receives Association's Annual Human Spirit Award
The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) today released a comprehensive guide to help community groups, schools and care providers establish local intergeneration projects that connect seniors and youth. The new guide - entitled "Creating Caring Communities" - has been produced by the BCCPA in partnership with the Government of British Columbia and is available at www.bccare.ca.
"This toolkit promotes healthy relationships between young and old citizens because making friends is part of our human experience whether you are in your first year of school or nearing the end of your life," said BCCPA President Christine Nidd. "On behalf of our members, I want to thank the BC government for supporting this project and the many educators and care providers for their important contributions."
The guide contains practical information that will help coordinate successful community programs. It identifies successful established collaborations and provides information on how to prepare a project plan, establish community partnerships, access funding and measure success.
"One of the challenges we face with a rapidly aging population is ensuring that people stay socially connected," said Minister of Healthy Living and Sport, Ida Chong. "Intergenerational programs provide many health and social benefits by bringing together people of all ages and cultures, and help support government's goal of creating age-friendly communities."
The guide was distributed to BC educators last month in advance of the coming school year. BCCPA will work with the provincial and federal governments in the coming months to consider additional measures to support intergenerational projects across the province - including Health Canada's New Horizons program for seniors.
To mark the release of the guide, BCCPA has awarded their annual Human Spirit Award to Mission's Pleasant View Care Home for hosting an intergenerational project called "In the Company of Elders". It featured a five-week beginner ballet class at the care home for young girls aged 7-9 who would not otherwise have been able to afford dance classes. As the girls practiced, the seniors watched and became increasingly involved to the point that the elders joined the young girls on stage for a grand finale performance.
"In addition to brightening up the days of our seniors, this program sponsored dance lessons for young girls who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to learn anything about classical ballet," said Pleasant View's Board President Dave Milne. "We want to thank the BC Care Providers for this recognition and encourage other communities to consider programs like this. It has been a great experience for us."
The annual BCCPA Human Spirit Award is presented in concert with the BC Health Leaders Association to BC organizations within the home and community care sector that demonstrate innovation in creating programs and services at the community or provincial level.
Pleasant View and the Fraser Valley Youth Dance Theatre are hosting a special intergenerational, multi-media dance performance at Mission's Clarke Foundation Theatre this Sunday (July 5) afternoon (2:00pm). This New Horizons funded event brings the life experience and wisdom of Pleasant View elders to life on stage through local youth.
"The work of the Pleasant View team represents a model for what is possible in communities across BC," concluded BCCPA CEO Ed Helfrich. "This project and the intergenerational guide we are releasing today recognize that we can enrich the lives of individuals in care by promoting learning, understanding and mutual respect between generations."
Established 30 years ago, BCCPA represents over 130 care providers who are responsible for more than one-third of all residential seniors' care beds across the province (more than 10,000). Our members employ more than 7,000 staff and care for an average of 4,000 home care clients each year.
The intergenerational program guide Creating Caring Communities can be downloaded at www.bccare.ca.
