HUMBOLDT — According to a survey from Humboldt Age Friendly Committee, communication and transportation are the two biggest challenges seniors expressed that they face within the community.
Out of the 500 surveys given to seniors throughout the city, 33 per cent responded.
“Right now we’re working on what came out of the survey,” said Age Friendly Committee member Laurie Lidgren. “Communication and transportation were two of people’s top priorities.”
In terms of communication, she said seniors expressed having trouble accessing information that they need for their day to day lives.
“With communication, it’s not getting all the information that they feel that they should be getting,” Lidgren said, adding that a lot of the community's seniors aren’t connected electronically and don’t know how to use the technology.
“They don’t understand how they can get this information, particularly if they’re in a care home or something like that. Now they have their own TVs and they would have access to newspapers and things. As far as what’s going on in the community they don’t get to know what’s happening.”
Lidgren the issue also affects seniors finding out information such as the different levels of care.
“Not everybody knows what the different levels of care are and where these can be obtained, and then that also works into housing, which is another thing we have to work on.”
For transportation, seniors expressed difficulty with the accessibility in both the city and to other communities such as Saskatoon.
“Their biggest concern is just being able to get out in the city itself if they don’t drive,” Lidgren. “That’s the main concern, especially now that the taxi is no longer [around]. There is a concern also for the transportation to Saskatoon… for medical appointments in particular.”
Other issues include housing and the lack of accessible public washrooms. A positive that seniors who filled out the survey expressed was medical care, saying that their needs are typically met locally.
In response to the survey, the Age Friendly Committee submitted a proposal to the city for their next infrastructure grant request to fund a means of transportation for seniors within the city.
The committee has also begun discussions on having one of their members teach the levels of care and other important information.
Lidgren said the group is continuing to look for volunteers. If any community member is interested, they can contact her at 306-320-8068.
