West Country Family Service Association 2.35

Rocky Mountain House and District West Country Family Service Association’s (WCFSA) mandate is to allow people to age-in-place safely and with dignity. We want to ensure that our parents, grand-parents and great-grandparents who have dedicated their lives to us and our community are supported to stay active and safe in their chosen homes for as long as possible.

Incorporated over thirty years ago by a group of people who recognized a need in our area, WCFSA started as simply a homemaking service for seniors but has since evolved in to a staple of homecare in the town of Rocky Mountain House, Clearwater County, the Village of Caroline and Eckville, Alberta. We now employ up to twenty-eight Certified Health Care Aides delivering services contracted by Alberta Health Services (AHS), as well as private (subsidized) in-home care not under the AHS contract.

West Country Family Service Association also provides the Phillips LifeLine™ service to the area, Meals-on-Wheels and a volunteer driven, wheelchair accessible van for those with various mobility challenges.

Homemaking is still a very large part of what we do, it is, after all what this agency was built upon. It’s the simple things that become the greatest challenges to our ability to remain independent as we age. In ‘making someone’s home’ our mission and vision are at the forefront. Our valued Home Support Workers ensure that a clients’ home is free from potential fall risks, and that basic household jobs that have become challenging or risky are complete to each individuals’ desire.

We are currently seeking support in carrying our organization into a new area of eldercare and caregiver support. The goal for this project is to decrease the social isolation experienced by many seniors, while bridging generational gaps through the sharing of talents, knowledge, information and time. We want to increase interactions between community members of varying generations, life-paths, and skill-sets, thereby building a stronger community in general. We will offer a space for seniors that is engaging, dynamic, comfortable, and by nature, therapeutic. Seniors will have a place to learn, share, meet and maintain social connections. Research suggests that such programs will -
• Address risk factors identified in “Social Isolation Among Seniors,” An investigation by the Children’s, Women’s and Seniors Health Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Health, March 2004.
• Aging – there is a marked gradual increase in the degree of isolation/loneliness up to the age of 90, where it seems to plateau.
• Transportation Issues – concerns such as driving status, fear/lack of confidence (especially in winter months), lack of available/affordable alternate transportation.
• Alleviate potential cognitive/health concerns associated with loneliness and social isolation.
• “Disengagement from out-of-home activities is associated with declines in cognitive functioning among elderly persons.” - Maratolli, R, et. al. “Consequences of Driving Cessation: Decreased Out-of-Home Activity Levels; Journal of Gerontology, Social Sciences: Vol. 55B(6), pp. 334-340.

Finally, the availability of such a place will give family caregivers peace of mind, knowing that they can reserve blocks of time for themselves while ensuring their loved one is being cared for in an enriching environment. The space will employ certified Health Care Aides that will be able to fulfill certain medical/daily hygiene needs of those clients requiring such assistance.

In 2009, the economic contribution of family caregivers in Canada was estimated to be between $25-26 billion. As a society in general, we need to take responsibility in supporting these ‘angels’ and creating means of motivation and encouragement for others to take on this role. Nothing is worse than feeling unsupported and alone – this program aims to alleviate that solitude for both the caregivers and the cared for.

WCFSA has a proven track record in our community and this growth is
such a natural direction! Each of us deserve the peace of mind that goes
along with knowing that our community is prepared to engage us and
support us from birth to death and at every point in between!
Sincerely,


Michelle Narang,
Executive Director