Calgary outreach applications connects with seniors nearly, information ‘legacy tales’

Storytelling Alberta launched a digital outreach program in Calgary final yr that focuses on connecting seniors with storytellers and expertise.

This system is known as StoryShare For Seniors and since launching this system in October 2020, Doreen Vanderstoop, the president of Storytelling Alberta, says it’s been successful with seniors.

“Connecting by way of story is such a robust, highly effective factor as a result of if any person tells you one story from their life historical past, you already know that so a lot better,” Vanderstoop stated.

The outreach program has a wide range of free choices for Calgarians 65 years of age and older:

• A person chat, the place a storyteller can share a narrative with the senior over video name or the senior can inform an anecdote from their lived historical past
• A gaggle chat, the place a storyteller hosts a digital sharing circle the place seniors can inform a narrative or take heed to others share theirs
• A legacy recording, the place the senior information their very own story and has it posted on-line

“It’s one of many nice hallmarks of this venture — is to indicate worth for the elders in our group,” Vanderstoop stated.

“That is to indicate them that we care about what they’ve skilled of their lives.”

Elaine Montgomery was one of many first to leap on board Storyshare For Seniors, which encourages our older technology to inform their tales whereas embracing the digital world.

She stated she finds that individuals typically underestimate seniors, which could be irritating.

“Everyone assumes since you are of a sure age, that you could’t be taught anymore and I believe that’s simply foolish,” Montgomery stated.

Since becoming a member of this system and recording her legacy video, she now volunteers her time serving to different seniors sort out expertise.

Neighborhood volunteers are additionally concerned in digital conferences to supply any form of further help the senior might have.

“I imply the entire program is so essential from a social perspective and addressing… the isolation that somebody may really feel,” group volunteer Jonas Cornelsen stated.

Cornelsen added he’s in a position to assist join seniors with data — like discovering grocery supply providers — however most significantly, they’re there to hear.

“For me, simply to be a listening presence and any person who can simply affirm that somebody’s being listened to, that somebody is cared about,” Cornelsen stated. 

StoryShare For Seniors can also be supplied in different languages, together with French, Spanish, Urdu and Dutch. This system has 5 iPads accessible that they’ll lend out to purchasers.