Hope seniors can learn more about handling challenges with aging, thanks to a senior expo planned for June 14.
In honour of the upcoming World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, Hope Community Services is hosting the Hope Aging Well Expo, an event dedicated to helping seniors live well in their community. Running at the Hope Legion from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the expo will connect seniors to the community resources available to them.
"We haven't had anything geared towards seniors in our community for 15 years," said Kim Paolini, Community Services's food resource program manager. "We haven't done anything specifically for seniors or the elderly population in town. And our population is getting older, and they deserve to have a fun, interesting, event to go to."
The event was made possible thanks to Hope Community Services partnering with the Fraser Health Authority and the B.C. Community Response Networks.
Though the event is geared towards to people who are 55 years-old and older, the expo is free and open to everyone. At least 16 organizations will be on site with information and resources.
In addition to the booths, three panels have been scheduled for the day. There will be a Community Response Networks lecture on elder abuse. Fraser Health will have a panel on media literacy, or picking apart fact from fiction, when encountering health ads or advice on social media. Envision Financial will have a panel on financial scams and how seniors can protect themselves.
One of the community service programs, Meals to You, will be providing samples, and chair yoga will be offered throughout the event, along with giveaways.
Those needing transportation to and from the event can call Hope Community Services at 604-869-2466.
"We're trying to make it fun, and interesting and engaging," Paolini said. "And we're trying to make it very intimate, because we're going to have the presentations in the middle of all the tables. And we're trying to make it fun so people can say 'this was great!' and we can bring it back next year."
