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SSM's Programs and Work - A Brief Overview

Living Well in Your Community

SSM puzzle graphic with four jigsaw puzzle pieces. Clockwise from top right: light blue, Home Supports; Dark blue, Facilitating Independence; Dark green, slightly larger, Social Prescribing; pink, Age-Friendly Saskatchewan

SSM has been working towards its vision of Quality Life for All Older Adults in Saskatchewan for over thirty years. Some of our programs and initiatives include Age-Friendly Saskatchewan, Strategizing for Positive Aging, Home Supports Initiative, Social Prescribing in Saskatchewan, and Continuing Research, Advocacy and Support. See below for more information.

Small Age-Friendly Saskatchewan logo. Zigzags of teal, purple and pink with words Age-Friendly Saskatchewan to the right of the image.

Age-Friendly Saskatchewan

In 2013, SSM took the lead in developing Age-Friendly in Saskatchewan. Initial goals included:

  • Promote the development of Age-Friendly Communities within Saskatchewan
  • Provide ongoing networking and support for Age-Friendly Communities
  • Create a provincial recognition program for Age-Friendly Communities

The Age-Friendly journey is a never-ending one and so the work continues today.

  • Age-Friendly in Saskatchewan largely depends on hundreds of volunteers
  • Nineteen Saskatchewan communities are involved in Age-Friendly work at different stages of the journey.
  • Over 500,000 Saskatchewan residents now live in Age-Friendly communities.

Visit the Age-Friendly website for more information and discover how your community can become part of the Age-Friendly network.

Strategizing for Positive Aging

In 2018-19, SSM conducted a survey with focus groups and individuals, receiving feedback from 2000+ older adults confirming that older people wanted to age in their familiar communities and stating support is needed for

  • Affordable housing options
  • Affordable services for aging in place
  • Transportation within and beyond local community
  • Timely and affordable health care with an emphasis on preventative measures
  • Increases in financial supports (pensions, social services, more regulated private pension plans, compensation for unpaid caregivers)
  • Social inclusion and involvement in community.

Home Supports Initiative

On October 1st, 2021, SSM launched its Home Supports Initiative in order to:

  • Raise awareness of the need for practical home supports
  • Engage individuals, organizations and communities to grow a powerful movement to demand action
  • Maintain contact with supporters to share information and create synergy
  • Maintain contact with and engage governments to raise their awareness of the needs, possibilities and positive return on investment

SSM continues to advocate for Home Supports that provide: Real Options – Better Outcomes – Lower Costs

Visit the Home Supports webpage for more information. SSM believes that provision of Home Supports should be an issue in the upcoming provincial election. Lend your voice to Home Supports advocacy.

Home Supports Initiative Logo. HOME is in blue font uppercase letters with gold heart in centre of O. Supports is in green script. Those words are enclosed by oval ending in stylized hand supporting the words. Tagline is Real Options, Better Outcomes, Lower Costs.
Social Prescribing logo. Logo features a prescription capsule opening to spill out images of a home, two stick figure people one with arm around other's shoulder, stick figure exercising with handheld weights, and a heart shape. Below are the words Social Prescribing in Saskatchewan and tagline Living Well in Your Community.

Social Prescribing in Saskatchewan

In 2023, SSM was invited to develop a proposal to introduce Social Prescribing in Saskatchewan.

SSM has worked closely with the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council to develop the proposal which has been approved. Social prescribing is getting underway in Saskatchewan.

Social prescribing is a way for health care workers and other front line supports to connect patients/clients to a range of nonclinical services in the community to help improve individuals’ health and well-being.

Social prescribing can help to address the underlying causes of a patient’s/client’s health and well-being issues, as opposed to simply treating the symptoms that may arise from non-medical issues.

Find out more about Social Prescribing and how it can make a major difference for individuals and communities.

Continuing Research, Advocacy and Support

Along with the initiatives described above, SSM and its member organizations continue to address issues that affect older adults through advocacy, awareness-raising and all types of communication. SSM volunteers and staff have worked on Ageism Awareness, Social Inclusion, Century Club for those 90+, publicizing the contributions of older adults recognizing “Blooming Perennials” and holding the Celebrating Seniors Volunteer Awards. The SSM magazine Gray Matters is published quarterly.

SSM

112-2001 Cornwall St.

Regina, SK S4P 3X9

306-359-9956

ssm@skseniorsmechanism.ca

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