Prior to the start of the Golden Age Drop-in Centre’s Feb. 12 meeting, attendees were given the chance to have the provincial government hear their concerns about living as a senior citizen.
Larry Lang attended the meeting as a representative of the Seniors Advisory Council of Alberta (SACA), with the express goal being to hear about the issues seniors feel are important to them as they age.
“Our job is to listen,” he said.
Joining Lang was Guy Gokiert, who was in attendance to represent the Alberta Medical Association on SACA.
The stop at the Golden Age centre was one of many Lang is in the process of making over the coming weeks as he visits communities all over northeast Alberta.
He will then take what he learns during those meetings back to associate health minister for seniors Dave Quest, who will use what Lang reports to establish a plan of action to assist seniors as they age.
Among the concerns Lang heard from the seniors in attendance was the desire to have an automatic external defibrillator (AED) installed at the Golden Age centre, as well as CPR training made available.
Another issue concerned poor post-surgery follow-up.
One attendee told the story of a man who had gone into the hospital for a heart operation that saw a valve installed.
The man was released from hospital and sent home alone, without any follow-up. Nothing bad happened to him during his recovery, the attendee said, but that lack of follow-up meant the man could have died and no one would have known.
Vision and driving was another concern brought up by several seniors.
One recounted having had laser eye surgery before renewing his driver’s licence. At the registries office, the man failed the test without and with his glasses, despite having otherwise adequate vision.
It wasn’t until documents signed by the doctor were presented that the man was allowed to renew his licence.
That story prompted a few questions from other attendees about who is calling the shots — doctors or registries staffers.
SACA was created in 1975 and has undergone numerous mutations over the years, Lang said.
In its current form it works to assist Alberta’s nearly 500,000 seniors, the vast majority of whom are still living independently outside of assisted living facilities.
With so many living on their own still, he said services seniors require are changing, and SACA is using its tours to learn what seniors need to continue living independent lives.
“It’s to get a perspective of what is important in their communities,” Lang said.
After the meeting, Golden Age president Elda Strome said she felt the session was valuable.
“It was a good meeting, and people realized there is help out there, we just didn’t know where it was before,” she said. “I really think the seniors were glad to have Larry and Dr. Gokiert there.”
