Investing in Our Seniors: Building Stronger, Healthier Communities

Photo © Courtesy of Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House

Investing in Our Seniors: Building Stronger, Healthier Communities

Seniors play a vital role in the social fabric of our communities. Yet, too often, they face isolation, financial insecurity, and a lack of support when they need it most.

In British Columbia, our senior population is in good hands thanks to Neighbourhood Houses like Frog Hollow. These safe and accessible centres provide spaces where older adults can engage in programs that enhance their quality of life, promoting health, social well-being, and independence. These Houses are vital lifelines for seniors, offering connection, care, and support within their communities. When we ensure our seniors have reliable support close to home, we honour our elders and strengthen the fabric of our community as a whole.

WHY SUPPORTING SENIORS MATTERS

Over the past decade, people over 55 have become the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. Meanwhile, rising costs of living, driven by inflation and skyrocketing housing prices, have left many seniors struggling to get by on fixed incomes. Over the last 10 years, market rents have increased by 50 per cent—sadly, pension incomes are not measuring up, having only increased by 25 per cent. This gap is forcing many seniors into impossible choices between paying for rent, food, or healthcare. This is not the reality we want for our seniors, and neither is it the future we want for ourselves!

Neighbourhood Houses provide critical services that do more than just meet basic needs—they create spaces for social connection, lifelong learning, and joy. At Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, for example, seniors participate in social meals, digital literacy tutorials, and recreation activities. They even receive home visits and deliveries when they cannot leave home. These programs help combat loneliness, keep seniors engaged, and provide them with the tools to live independently for as long as possible.

REAL IMPACT ON REAL LIVES

One of the best examples of how community-driven programs can make a real difference is Frog Hollow’s Wellness Delivery Project. During the 2023 holiday season, Frog Hollow partnered with Home Instead and the London Drugs’ Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program to deliver holiday gifts to low-income, isolated seniors in the Hastings-Sunrise area.

One senior, through her sister, expressed her joy at receiving thermal socks, a reflective band, and a gift card to help with grocery shopping, saying, "My sister LOVES her gifts. THANK YOU."

This act of kindness might seem small, but it meant the world for seniors who are often overlooked or forgotten. It reminded them that they are seen, valued, and cared for.

The project didn’t stop at holiday gifts—Frog Hollow also created care packs for isolated seniors, filled with useful items and a little extra cheer.

THE WAY FORWARD

“Recognizing the value and contributions seniors have already made to our communities is the least we can do in return for all they have given,” shared Norm Leech, Executive Director of Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House. “But what if we imagined the best we could do with and for the seniors in our community?” Currently, funding for seniors' services is spread across short-term grants from multiple sources, making it nearly impossible for organizations to plan for the future or expand their services. A better approach would be providing a stable financial foundation through secure, multi-year funding. With just $500,000 a year for three to five years, Frog Hollow could dramatically transform its services and create lasting positive change for seniors.

Let’s commit to providing a dignified, safe, and nurturing environment for our elders by supporting sustainable, longterm funding for organizations like Frog Hollow. Our seniors deserve nothing less—and neither do we!

Learn more and donate at froghollow.bc.ca