HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS // SENIOR LIVING
HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES TO REVISIT HEALTH AND WELLNESS STRATEGIES WITH OLDER ADULTS
BY JAMIE ZACHARY
M
any experts are calling it a great reset – an opportunity to challenge traditional thinking when it comes to preventative health care for older adults.
In many cases, this two-year-and-counting pandemic has forced senior living providers to take a hard look in the mirror, whether evaluating existing health and safety protocols or addressing mounting concerns around issues such as nutrition, exercise and mental health. “The pandemic has put a spotlight on all the gaps – and not just services older adults can access, but how our societal systems are set up,” says Olivia Chubey, chief service and operations officer for Silvera for Seniors, which provides independent and supportive living options for more than 1,500 residents living in 27 of its communities spread through all four quadrants of Calgary. “Over the past two years, many older adults have been cut off from traditional supports, whether that be timely access to practitioners or resources to maintain independence … and sometimes even natural supports such as family members.” In turn, creating a healthy living environment has become a linchpin to Silvera’s evolving service strategy. It’s involved, among other initiatives, stepping beyond traditional programming methods and, instead, working with residents to co-design lifestyle programs more suited to their needs. ABOVE: SILVERA LIVING HAS INTRODUCED A SILVERA FOR SCHOLARS PROGRAM THAT HAS RESIDENTS OF ITS COMMUNITIES CO-DESIGNING MUCH OF THE LIFESTYLE PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE AT ITS 27 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CALGARY. PHOTO SOURCE: SILVERA FOR SENIORS
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FEBRUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM
