Brainstorming Session Report
Results of the October 17, 2022 Meeting
Executive summary
Following the input of the community at the October 17, 2022 Brainstorming Session on Seniors Needs in the Greater Terrace Community, Skeena Valley Seniors Society (SVSS) has observed the following:
- 8 Community panelists represented 7 agencies to identify their programs to seniors.
- 72 issues were identified by 58 stakeholders as being of concern by our local seniors.
- 5 topics areas rose to the surface; housing, transportation, medical, financial and social
The audience was invited to identify their 3 top issues by mapping them on flip charts.
This provided SVSS with data on the community’s top concerns around seniors issues.
- The 5 topics areas broke down into these priorities:
- Shelter 30% - Primary issues: Housing availability, housing costs, property maintenance,
- Social needs 25% - Primary issues: Loneliness, safety, value and inclusion
- Medical needs 16% - Primary issues: Inability to secure or afford proper medical care
- Financial 15% - Primary issues: High cost of day to day living and challenges with red tape
- Transport 14% – Primary issues: Unable to get to day to day needs affordably, reliably
Skeena Valley Seniors Society has identified that we have more work to do. Identifying our seniors’ needs is the first step to actively resolving issues that have caused our seniors to feel neglected, isolated and un-engaged within their own community. Basic needs like affordable housing, accessible transport, the means to take care of medical bills or get treated for conditions, the ability to understand the complexity of red tape with forms that are required for day to day living, the challenges of being less mobile in a town with diverse seasonal weather are all just a few of the identified concerns spelled out in this brainstorming session. A center hub that can direct seniors to their needs has risen to the surface as we discovered the resources that already exist in our community. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness by seniors of those resources, makes them underutilized and unable to improve the lives of those who could benefit from them.
Skeena Valley Seniors Society will continue to advocate for the needs of our seniors and will continue to work with our neighboring agencies to affect positive change in our community.
