Patty Sinnamon and Helen Edwards want seniors in northern Wellington County to know there is help available Close to Home.
Township of Mapleton Chief Executive Officer and Clerk Sinnamon and Senior’s Health Coordinator Edwards were at Minto council last week promoting Mapleton’s Close to Home project – as they did the week before in Wellington North.
Sinnamon explained they were there to provide an update on the program and how it came about.
Sinnamon said initially the intent had been to find more ways to get funds into the northern portion of Wellington County.
What resulted was an application to WWLHIN (Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration Network) which was allocated over $37.6-million from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Aging At Home provincial initiative. Province wide, $700-million was available over three years.
The application included Minto and Wellington North.
The Close to Home program involved the hiring of Edwards, who is developing the service and getting the word to local seniors and groups.
Sinnamon said that in general, local seniors, do not like asking for help.”
Now on the job for over a month, Edwards is working on a number of initiative, including a seniors wellness in Drayton this November. She said 17 community groups have already agreed to take part. People will receive free transportation to and from the event.
“We’re not here asking for money,” but rather the group is looking for a place to call home within Minto.
The group is looking for office space from which to offer information in Clifford, Harriston, and Palmerston.
She added laptops were purchased instead of desktop computers to be more portable to different locations.
Edwards remains excited about her role and the scope and size of the community to be served.
“I’m blown away by the number of services which are available and the eagerness of groups to get involved.”
She said she has been working in the long-term care field for a long time.
“This,” she said, “will help people be able to stay in their homes longer.”
Sinnamon said one of the reasons the project received funding was because of the aspect of three municipalities working together.
Mayor David Anderson wished the group well in its efforts to keep its older residents more active in the community.
