In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. Canada also celebrates October 1 as National Seniors Day.
Shaunavon is one of the sites for a provincial Social Prescribing pilot and it is also one of a dozen communities in Saskatchewan currently active in Age-Friendly. Both of these initiatives are led by SSM (Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism), a non-profit, volunteer organization working toward quality of life for all older adults in Saskatchewan.
Tracy McConnell is the Community Connector for Shaunavon’s Social Prescribing initiative. Social prescribing supports healthcare professionals and other caregivers to connect people with local, non-clinical services. Social prescriptions are sent to the local “Community Connector” who works closely with the client to develop their health and well-being plan and to connect the individual to services, supports and programs available in the community which can have a positive impact on their overall health & wellbeing for non-medical needs.
Health care providers, family or other caregivers, or older adults themselves (age 55+), can reach out to Tracy for more information and direction, or to make a referral. Her e-mail is socialprescribingshaunavon@gmail.com or call Tracy at 306-294-7599.
Age-Friendly Shaunavon is a local volunteer committee that assesses the needs of the community through the lens of older adults and creates an Action Plan to address needs.
The local committee employs a part-time Senior Resource Coordinator who operates an office at 420 Centre Street on Tuesdays from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm and Thursdays from 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
Intergenerational programs, a volunteer transportation program, Community Resource Directory and Wellness Days are just some of the programs and services available. Additional information is available on their Facebook page and on the Town of Shaunavon website. Chelsie Verpy is the Senior Resource Coordinator for Age-Friendly Shaunavon and she can be reached by Email: afshaunavon@gmail.com or call 306-294-7653.
A flyer has been created outlining the two different programs (Social Prescribing and Age-Friendly) and the positions that each employs (Community Connector and Senior Resource Coordinator) and their contact information, along with descriptions of four different transportation options available in the community: Shaunavon Courtesy Van, Age-Friendly Shaunavon Van, Shaunavon Handivan and Shaunavon Van for the Disabled. The flyers will hopefully be available in mailboxes in the near future and/or available at various locations around Shaunavon and online.
Getting Where You Need to Go in Shaunavon and Beyond
A new service coming soon to Shaunavon is the Age-Friendly Shaunavon Van. A van and volunteer drivers are available to transport older adults to out-of-town medical appointments. Contact the Age-Friendly office at 306-294-7653 for details or to book transportation in advance. People accessing this service are responsible for fuel and other incidental costs such as parking, meals, etc.
The Shaunavon Courtesy Van has been around for more than 30 years and its volunteer drivers provide in-town transportation to seniors and others who don’t have other transportation for appointments or errands. The cost is $2 per one-way trip with service available Monday-Friday 9 am – 5 pm (closed 12-1 pm), except on statutory holidays. Call 306-297-7989 to arrange pick-up.
The Shaunavon Handivan has been a lesser utilized service, but local committee members encourage residents to reach out if this service seems appropriate. An accessible van is available for anyone for whom travel in a conventional vehicle is difficult or not possible, for appointments or recreation in town or out-of-town. Patrons arrange their own driver or a volunteer driver may be possible. Call 306-294-7826 for more information or to book. The van must be returned with a full tank of gas.
Finally, the Cypress Hills Ability Centre provides an accessible van with a driver who provides service within Shaunavon to clients of CHACI (Cypress Hills Ability Centre Inc.) and other patrons for whom travel in a conventional vehicle is difficult or not possible. The cost is $3 per one-way trip. This van operates Monday-Friday 8 am – 5 pm, except on statutory holidays and you can call 306-297-7902 to arrange pick-up.
Social Isolation Impacting Seniors Health Around the World
Social Isolation is one of the major areas of concern for older adults that may be addressed through initiatives such as Social Prescribing or Age-Friendly. On September 18, 2025, the National Seniors Council released two briefs intended to raise awareness and stimulate dialogue on key issues affecting the health, well-being and quality of life of older persons, specifically social isolation and caregiving. They provide an overview of the prevalence and impacts of these issues, highlight both domestic and international responses and identify opportunities for action across various levels of government and among key stakeholders.
It’s no surprise that in 2021, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a global public health concern. In 2023, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) called social isolation and loneliness among older Canadians an epidemic. The NIA lists risk factors contributing to social isolation and loneliness among older Canadians including lack of or poor family ties, low socio-economic status, living alone, mobility and transportation issues, health concerns, health care costs, and language and cultural factors. Caregivers who are older adults also experience social isolation.
Services and supports for seniors are often interrelated. For example, not having access to transportation can impact the availability of health services or access to activities that improve an individual’s overall wellbeing and reduce social isolation. Lack of awareness about what services are available in a community has been identified as an issue by many Age-Friendly Committees, resulting in the development of local Resource Directories in an effort to provide contact information that may have once been found in a telephone directory. Age-Friendly Shaunavon has a local directory available which is updated regularly and available in printed format at the Age-Friendly Shaunavon office. Age-Friendly Shaunavon is planning another Wellness Day on October 14 providing education and an opportunity for social interaction for older adults in the community. You can contact Chelsie at the Age-Friendly Shaunavon office for details or to register.
This week, take time to acknowledge and appreciate the older adults in your life and in your community!