Everyone felt the challenges of isolation and various lockdowns during the pandemic, but some older adults felt the severity of being cut-off from the world particularly acutely.
Unlike younger adults, connected to their communities through social media and digital tools, many older adults who weren’t tech-savvy were forced to spend their time without any opportunity to see their friends, family and loved ones.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Trinity Anglican Church, located in the heart of Old Ottawa South, found themselves in quite the predicament. Funding had been granted to host a weekly senior luncheon and speaker series for education and interest, which now was unable to happen because of lockdowns and restrictions.
Wondering what to do instead, the original initiative pivoted, and Seniors in Conversation was created, an online community that would meet every Tuesday morning on Zoom to offer the community free educational conversations with guest speakers and engaging topics, community resources, and an opportunity to connect with one another during isolation.
“Trinity Church has a history of serving the senior population of the parish, many of whom are vulnerable and, in some cases, live a fairly insular life,” said Heather Maclachlan, the lead volunteer at Trinity Anglican Church for Senior’s Programing.
“Trinity’s volunteers were looking to expand senior opportunities by inviting any seniors living in Old Ottawa South. We wanted a meaningful experience where ideas and information were shared.”
The program was originally intended to serve those living in the Old Ottawa South neighbourhood. Week by week, this shifted as the Reaching Seniors in Old Ottawa South (RSOOS) leadership team received requests from those looking to participate from all around the city—even having participants attend who were based in the West Coast, East Coast, Newfoundland and the USA.
Seniors in Conversation has run for nearly two years and heard from a variety of speakers and topics surrounding mental health, self-care, elder abuse, politics, anti-racism, truth and reconciliation and more.
“This group has been a lifeline during the long days of isolation,” says Marni Crossley, a regular participant of Seniors in Conversation. “It has become a wonderful gathering of friends who have come together to learn and grow from the wonderful guests who have come to share their area of expertise with us.”
While the RSOOS Leadership team recently announced the initiative would end on April 12, 2022, the success of the program and what it brought to the community will have a lasting impact.
“This program offered an opportunity for people to connect, to build a new community, to interact with others and to learn and engage in a variety of topics,” said Donna Rourke, the program director. “I think this program had numerous benefits for everyone involved.”
While the pandemic brought many challenges, it also demonstrated the positive effects of connecting our older adults with the digital tools and education needed to become more active online. This success was evident each Tuesday that Seniors in Conversation ran.
“While we have decided that Seniors in Conversation has a natural end having been developed in response to COVID, I see this kind of program and delivery format as something that will always be relevant to those living in isolation,” says Maclachlan. “Pandemic or not, people need to be inspired and have a community of belonging. This format couldn’t be easier or more accessible.”
To participate and join our community as we continue this program until April 12, 2022, you can register to receive our weekly zoom link by emailing [email protected]. To learn more about the program and the upcoming topics and speakers, find us on Facebook at @seniorsinconversation and on Twitter at @RSOOS_Trinity.
From Seniors in Conversation participants
“It has become a routine part of my week, and I’ll be very sorry to see it end in April.” – Tim Boreham
“Seeing others on Zoom as I am living alone has become such a comfort” – Jean Ash
“I love learning, and the well-organized variety of topics and speakers keeps me coming back: history, health, politics, art, epidemiology, travel, music and many more. I am so grateful for this community-oriented learning opportunity.” – Beth Hughes
“I always left the Zoom time feeling encouraged and — most importantly — less alone in all of this craziness we’re living through.” – Lorna Unger
From the leadership team
As a group, we’d like to express our sincere thanks to the participants and speakers who made this program what it was. We can honestly say that every Tuesday morning we look forward to Seniors in Conversation. It created (and continues to create) a caring community where participants became friends. It has created a safe community where participants freely share concerns. It has created an educational community where resources were provided to those who displayed signs of distress with respect and the utmost privacy. It has been a privilege for us to work with this amazing community, and continues to be such an honour to spend time with these amazing humans. We will miss our time together, but are proud to have been a part of such an amazing initiative that so clearly had a positive impact on the community.
Seniors in Conversation was created and made possible by the conjoined efforts of Donna Rourke, Heather Maclachlan, Paige Kahkonen, Isabel McFarlane, the Rev. Arran Thorpe, and Archdeacon Mark Whittall as an outreach of Trinity Anglican Church.
St. John, Antrim — Deanery of the Southwest