Thank you to BC’s Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services Harwinder Sandhu and our amazing partners at the United Way BC – Lower Mainland for the heartwarming visit to DIVERSEcity yesterday.
Our Seniors Services team talked to Ms. Sandhu about the many programs and services we offer at DIVERSEcity, including Better at Home, Newcomer Family & Friend Caregiver Support Program, Social Prescribing and Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors (TAPS).
Ms. Sandhu shared the importance of investing in people for a healthy society and spoke openly with the group of senior clients who came to share their stories with her.
One client shared the challenges he faced with health and housing, struggling for more than a year to find help. Then he was connected with DIVERSEcity, specifically Shabina and Daljit from our Seniors team. “All the things I was looking for I found at DIVERSEcity,” he said. “Without DIVERSEcity, I couldn’t have continued a good quality of life. They have made me feel safe, cared for and blessed.” This gentleman, who rarely leaves his home, made the trip to visit the Parliamentary Secretary to share his story, and we are grateful for him for his courage and strength.
A few seniors originally from India spoke with Ms. Sandhu directly in their first language. Many immigrant seniors fall through the cracks of service due to language barriers, so it was a wonderful moment to see them communicating directly with an elected government official.
A client from the caregiver program, who cares for her elderly mother, said to program coordinator Meenakshi, “I don’t know what I would have done without you. You never gave up on me. You treat me with respect, caring and support. Thank you.”
