BANFF – Sandra Johnston has had three spinal surgeries and struggles sometimes to get the non-medical help she needs to go about everyday life.
“I have been in dire circumstances, sometimes being so alone and crawling around to get things done,” said Johnston, 77.
“It inhibits your ability to heal.”
On Monday (May 27), Banff council approved a new home support program, a first for the community that is designed to help seniors live independently in their homes for as long as they can.
To be run out of the municipality’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) department, the program will be partially covered by an annual grant from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation. It will be supplemented with client fees with no tax support needed to operate the program.
The program would be tailored to meet client needs through the provision of a professional staff person, with services including light housekeeping duties like dishes, laundry, vacuuming, meal preparation – and companionship.
Programs like this, which are offered in other Alberta communities, do not offer personal care services such as bathing, cooking, medication administration, or medical lifts or transfers.
Alison Gerrits, director of community services for the Town of Banff, said one of the recommendations within Banff’s recently tabled Age Friendly Action Plan was to explore the potential for a home support program.
“The lack of a home support program, which is non-medical and designed to support adults so they can remain independently living in their own homes, has been identified as a gap in the service offerings within the community,” she said.
Johnston, who lives in Mount Edith House and no longer has family in Banff, said news of the soon-to-be launched program was music to her ears.
“This is so vital for so many reasons,” she said.
“I’ve also been one of those that have been in better shape than the others in the building and I’ve ended up taking care of them to my own detriment.”
Johnston moved from Ontario about 10 years ago to be with her daughter who worked in Banff; however, her daughter and partner ended up moving to New Jersey.
Along with help with light chores, she said the companionship piece of the program is critical.
“All those other things are very important, but the hardest thing for elders in this community is isolation, particularly in winter,” she said.
“It can be very lonely … some of us are dying here because there’s no opportunity to share and to laugh and just basically communicate … there’s very little of that available.”
Sharon Phillips, chair of Age-Friendly Banff, welcomed the much-needed program.
"Through various community engagements, we heard that one of the challenges for aging in place was no longer being able to keep up with housework, grocery shopping, garbage/compost management, and meal preparation," she said.
"We also heard that social isolation at home in many cases, resulted in withdrawal from active participation in the community."
Phillips said in 2022-23, Healthy Aging Alberta was tasked with developing a non-medical home support program.
"Their findings demonstrated client’s self-report of having a positive increase in their mental and physical wellness and confidence living at home, as a direct result of these supports,” she said.
Banff has seen an increase in the percentage of those 65 years of age and older who make up the town's total population.
According to the 2021 federal census, 1,005 Banff residents are 65 years or older, representing 12 percent of Banff’s total population.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) currently provides medical home care support to approximately 160 people each year.
Shawn Carr, manager of FCSS and social programs for the Town of Banff, said after consultation with representatives from AHS home care, the need was identified for continued support for some of these clients when medical home care is no longer required.
“The home support program would bridge the gap between medical home care and home support services,” Carr said.
“It is anticipated that this program would be able to serve between 10-30 residents annually depending on their level of need.”
The Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation has committed to $45,000 a year for the program, which is expected to cost $60,585 in 2025 and $62,403 in 2026. The program will, however, launch this year with the foundation kicking in $22,500 and fees generating $6,640 for cost recovery.
The proposed home care fees include a $25 an hour standard fee, which would drop to $18.75 or $12.50 an hour based on a sliding scale determined by the Town of Banff’s Access Program affordability income threshold.
Mary Buckingham, president of the Banff Seniors Society who has been working with the Age Friendly and Inclusive housing initiatives, said the home support service is a welcome addition to the community.
“It will really help seniors,” she said.
“I know there are some people who are pretty confined to their homes and it would be great to just have someone who dropped in and just had a visit for an hour."
Buckingham is 78 and has lived in Banff for 50 years.
“I lost my husband just over two years ago and there’s a lot of things around the house that I can’t really do anymore,” she said.
“Although I have a daughter and son-in-law in town, they’re not always available so it would be really useful if I knew who I could hire.”
Mayor Corrie DiManno gave a heartfelt thanks to the Pauw Foundation for its ongoing generosity and compassion.
“What a beautiful gift to our community. This is going to make such a big difference in the lives of so many seniors and others who need the support for these non-medical chores and tasks and just need some company,” said an emotional DiManno, who was choking back tears.
“I can really see this program providing some relief and connection and some companionship and I think it’s going to improve people’s lives, so thank you, thank you, thank you.”
The Town of Banff was notified in March by the province of Alberta that the municipality would receive the Age-Friendly Community Recognition Award.
This will be announced on June 3 during the launch of Seniors’ Week in Banff. The Town of Banff was selected as the provincial launch host community for the June 3-9 Seniors’ Week this year and was awarded a $5,000 grant as a result.
