While Sicamous is aiming to draw young families into the community, council has by no means forgotten the other end of the age spectrum and is pursuing an age-friendly designation from the provincial government.
With age-friendly grant funding having been received in 2015 and 2016, the district has satisfied the other requirements to receive the official status and, with council’s approval to endorse the assessment and work with community members to improve accessibility and the inclusion of older people, staff will now submit their application to the province.
The other requirements that had to be met to receive this designation, which Sicamous has already done, included the establishment of an Age-Friendly Committee, passing a council or district board resolution, conducting an age-friendly assessment and developing and publishing an action plan. The latter two can be found online at www.sicamous.ca in the Sept. 14 agenda.
“The World Health Organization is recommending that communities become more age-friendly as a way to support the increasing number of seniors and the rise in dementia,” Jeanne Rokosh stated in the district’s assessment and action plan report, prepared in December 2015.
Council has taken that to heart and, later in the meeting, approved Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing administrator Kaija Isherwood’s request for funding to attend the De Hogeweyk facility in Amsterdam that utilizes a famous dementia care concept. While Isherwood is already heading to Finland on personal holidays, she decided to include this side trip to take a guided tour of De Hogeweyk, including a dinner and visits at the different cottages included there. As that comes with a 730 Euro – $1,050 – price tag, she asked that council cover that cost as the information gathered there will benefit Sicamous.
“I think we should support her,” Mayor Terry Rysz said.
“She will be representing us during her visit and maybe will come back with some positive direction when it comes to where we’re going with this.”
Chief financial officer Kelly Bennett confirmed that the district has $5,000 specifically set aside for dementia and age-friendly initiatives, with council unanimously approving funding of Isherwood’s related tour.
At the same time, council approved moving forward with achieving age-friendly status, with staff directed to submit the application and, pending final approval, will joining such neighbouring communities as Armstrong, Revelstoke and Kamloops in earning that designation.
