What a peaceful scene; elegant ladies in their sunhats, soaking up the sun and fragrant breezes of a summer’s garden at Sunnyside after a yummy supper of Cheese soup, pancakes with syrup and blueberries and cream; birds singing, gophers popping their heads in and out of their little burrows, people waiting patiently at the bus stop nearby, staff quietly and diligently helping the second sitting with their supper and the gentle hum of Sunnyside going about what Sunnyside does - and then all of a sudden “Whoosh!” The heavens opened, thunder booms sounded in the distance, and elegant ladies were getting soaked, desperately trying to crank up their wheelchairs and head back to their homes.

  I was standing by the nurses’ station at the time and was so impressed to see Kevin, one of our RNs, fly out of his seat to organise the rescue of the damsels in distress caught in the downpour in a now, not so tranquil back garden.  I and others, helped wheel the residents back inside and into their rooms, all laughing with the excitement.

  The staff in the dining room quickly drew back the dining room blinds, which not so many minutes ago had been lowered to keep out the evening heat. Residents and staff looked on in awe at how powerful and beautiful Nature can be. I thought, “Yes, we really are a caring family here at Sunnyside. We are blessed with staff that cares for the residents as they would their own families at home. Their job is sometimes a thankless task, making sure the needs of the residents are met, day after day, night after night, with heavy doses of hugs and love thrown in. The staff doesn’t ask for thanks, but I want to say, “Thanks” to the staff anyway. Your caring for the residents does not go unnoticed.

  “But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.” (1Thessalonians 2:7b, 8)

  The Government of Canada has recently made enhancements to the New Horizons for Seniors Program.  The New Horizons for Seniors Program is a Federal Grants and Contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in their communities and in the lives of others.  The government recently updated the program to allow a broader array of organizations to develop a greater variety of projects to meet the changing needs of communities.

  Previously the program funded projects that fall under one of three categories; Capital Assistance; Community Participation & Leadership; Elder Abuse Awareness.  Projects are now eligible for funding if they meet one or more of the following 5 objectives; 1) promoting volunteerism among seniors and other generations; 2) engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others; 3) expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse; 4) supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors; and 5) providing capital assistance for new & existing community projects or programs for seniors. 

  Grants of up to $25,000 are available for community-based projects that encourage seniors to share their skills and experiences with others and help communities increase their capacity to address local issues. A call for proposals for community-based projects was made on June 20, 2011 and will close September 16, 2011. 

  Pan-Canadian projects are larger projects with broader impact potential and may be eligible to receive funding for up to three years.  A call for proposals for pan-Canadian projects has not yet been made. Those interested should check the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada website www.hrsdc.gc.ca/seniors regularly for updates.

For more information on these updates or to apply for funding, please visit http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml.