A Message from the TriCities Senior Planning Network

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In our Tri-Cities community, we’re facing COVID-19 together. We understand that there are high-risk situations for vulnerable seniors when leaving your home to shop for groceries or go out in the community. If there’s one thing we can do it’s to stay connected while staying at home. We can make a point to regularly reach out to our personal networks – phone, FaceTime, text – for coffee chats and virtual visits. It’s important to minimize our feelings of loneliness or worry, getting and giving reassurances that help us stay connected and calm.

(Note: In the next posts, Wilson Seniors will be sharing information on how and where you can learn to use social media to stay in touch.)

Reliable COVID-19 Information Resources for you:

Where you can get help:

  • BC211 Help Line Services http://www.bc211.ca/ or Call 2-1-1 on your phone.
    • Register for NEW Safe Seniors, Strong Communities Program–A program that matches seniors who need support with grocery shopping and non-medical essentials to volunteers in their community who are willing to help. To register for services, or to offer help, register.
    • Other BC211 Services include Counselling, Addiction, Mental Health, Victim Services, Financial Assistance, Housing, Transportation, & more.
  • SHARE Society https://sharesociety.ca/ or Call 604-540-9161 Program & Services still on-going. Food Bank to help you get through this.
  • Seniors First BC    http://seniorsfirstbc.ca/ Seniors Abuse & Information Line (SAIL Line) If you’re in a Crisis, Call 604-437-1940
  • Tri-Cities Seniors Planning Network Accepting requests from seniors to help with grocery shopping, driving to appointments, or for phone connections to help with anxiety or to ease isolation. Also, still accepting volunteers to help. Call: 604-949-0599 or tricitiesseniorsplanningntwk@gmail.com
  • Fraser Northwest Primary Care Network Schedule a Virtual Appointment if feeling like you have COVID-19 symptoms. https://www.divisionsbc.ca/fraser- northwest/influenza-symptom-testing-center#appointment
  • Canadian Mental Health Association Call 1-833-456-4566 or Text: 45645 https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/ Anxiety? Stress?
  • Battered Women’s Support Services. Call 1-855-687-1868 or https://www.bwss.org/ or if you are in danger, call 9-1-1.
  • Kids Help Line Call: 1-800-668-6868 https://kidshelpphone.ca/
  • SHARE Food Bank Depot 2615 Clarke St., Port Moody Phone: 604-931-2451 Hours:  Mon 9 am-2 pm Tues 9 am-6 pm Wed-Fri 9 am-2 pm
  • BC Centre for Disease Control Supporting the Psychosocial Well-being of Health Care Providers: http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Professionals- Site/Documents/COVID19-Psychosocial-Supports-HCW.pdf

How you or your family or neighbours can help:

  • Food Bank Donations Food Donations are down & Demand is up. The food bank needs canned meats, canned tuna & salmon, pork & beans, rice, & other non-perishable items–or better yet–Cash, as this is better for their buying power.   2615 Clarke St., Port Moody     The Depot is COVID-19 safe.
  • Donate Blood Our hospitals still need blood supply for regular operations. https://blood.ca    or Call: 1-888-236-6283 Challenge your family members.

Stay at home and clean surfaces at home

  • Wash your hands often
  • Physical distance…but keep in social contact with family & friends
  • Beware of the many COVID-19 Frauds & Scams out there now.
  • Don’t go stir crazy Use the time to learn a new hobby; YouTube videos to learn new skills; Make a list of inspirational quotes; Do a puzzle or read a book; watch movies on Netflix or Crave; or clean out some closets.

Keep in touch with family, friends, & neighbours. Be nice. Smile.

  • Send an e-flower bouquet to a friend to say Hi! & then to more friends.

Regional Advance Care Planning Team–Fraser Health

We would like to share that during this critical and uncertain time, it is increasingly important that we have conversations with our families and those we support in advance of medical emergencies. The Fraser Health Advance Care Planning Team is here to help you. We are interested in learning how we might best support your needs in relation to Advance Care Planning and COVID-19.

Should you or those you support require some help around these conversations, we encourage you and your clients to please call 1-877-TALK-034 (1-877-825- 5034) or email us at AdvanceCarePlanning@fraserhealth.ca

Some key resources to support conversations include:

COVID-19 Updates from the BC Government Websites:

The COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving as is the information being made available to support service providers.

The B.C. government website contains links to important health information as well as non-health-related information: www.gov.bc.ca/covid-19

The government also issues a daily summary on the latest number of COVID-19 cases and any other COVID-19 related news. People can subscribe here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/subscribe?ministries=health&ministries=emergency- preparedness&sectors=economy&sectors=government- operations&sectors=services

Link to testing guidelines: http://www.bccdc.ca/resource- gallery/Documents/Statistics%20and%20Research/Statistics%20and%20Reports/ Epid/Influenza%20and%20Respiratory/ERV/BCCDC_PHL_Updated_nCoV_Lab_Gui dance.pdf

Interim Guidance to Social Services: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office- of-the-provincial-health-officer/covid-19/covid-19-pho-guidance-social-service- providers.pdf

Provincial Health Officer Update

Dr. Behn Smith notes that epidemiologically that B.C.’s curve has flattened and that now is a very important time to “hold the line” and to continue with the existing public health measures of (1) physical distancing, (2) handwashing and disinfection and enhanced cleaning protocols.

Tri-Cities Seniors Planning Network Future Events

It was a difficult decision for us to postpone the “Pathways to Better Health” Forum scheduled for March 25th, 2020 because of the current COVID-19 pandemic. We are eager to offer some FREE online Zoom sessions to you soon. Stay tuned as we try to connect with each of you while we are “distanced”.

Some Webinars that may interest you on concerns you face during COVID-19

  • Addressing Financial Vulnerabilities in the time of COVID-19: Coping Now.
    • COVID-19 Fraud and Scams: How to Recognize, Reject and Report

The audio-visual recordings of the recent webinars and a PDF of the PowerPoints can be viewed and/or downloaded at: http://www.eapon.ca/training- education/training/webinars/

For more information about the Tricities Senior Planning Network

Contact: tricitiesseniorsplanningntwk@gmail.com 604-949-0599

Just as I posted the above I received an email from Dianne Stoesz, Citizen Services Specialist, Services Canada that I thought I would share:

Service Canada is reaching out to ensure that your community receives important information on how to access Federal benefits.  In response to the Covid-19 situation, the government has introduced the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit as part of Canada’s Economic Response Plan.

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit is now available and can be accessed here.

Employment Insurance and Pension applications can be made online at: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/portfolio/service-canada.html

Service Canada can help!

If an individual that you support requires assistance with one of our critical services and benefits they can complete a service request form at Canada.ca/service-canada-e-service. Once the service request is submitted, a Service Canada representative will contact the individual within 2 business days at the phone number they indicate.

If your community members or individuals within your network do not have access to the internet or face other barriers, a Service Canada Outreach Support Centre will ensure they get access to the critical benefits they need.  The outreach support center can be accessed by calling1-877-631-2657.  Outreach workers are available to assist from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday.

Should you have any questions please contact Dianne directly at 778-788-4990 or Brenda at 778-836-8042.

Stay safe, stay calm and stay healthy,

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