Better at Home selects five communities for rural pilot

Nakusp, Invermere, the Villages of Fraser Lake and Valemount, and Pender Island are the five communities chosen for United Way’s Better at Home rural and remote pilot project. The goal of the pilot project is to test service delivery options to seniors living in rural and remote communities in B.C. Theresa Wood, event co-ordinator for the District of Invermere, spoke to The Columbia Valley Pioneer about seniors’ services in Invermere and Better at Home. “Invermere has an aging community and, being in a rural setting, we face different situations than those in an urban setting,” she said. “We also have many people retiring here that do not have family in the area, so we will need a strong community. There is also a huge waiting list for beds in senior and assisted care residences and the demand is only going to grow as the baby boomers are starting to hit retirement. Helping people stay in their home longer is best for everyone.” If you work with seniors or provide services to seniors in any of the pilot communities, we want to hear from you. Please contact Project Coordinator Debbie Sharp at 604.268.1300 ext. 2303. Better at Home provides non-medical support services to seniors in B.C. helping seniors live longer in their own homes while remaining connected to their community. The program is funded by the Government of BC and managed by United Way. It currently operates in 61 communities across B.C.