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The Link-Letter July 9, 2010 v. 5-27

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NEWS FOR AGENCY STAFF

1. Edmonton Family and Community Support Services has issued a “trends and issues” summary and breakdown by sector. For the summary, go here. For the breakdown, go here.

2. The Older Adult Knowledge Network, dedicated to “how Canadian law protects and affects older adults”, has rebuilt its website and now wants to hear from staff who work with seniors. “Look around for some info, explore, and take our brief survey. Your answers are important both for our report to our funders and to help improve OakNet (for example, please tell us what other things you may want to see).” To check out the website, go to www.oaknet.ca. To take the survey, go here.

3. The Minnesota Gerontological Society brought together community and national partners to produce a one-hour public television documentary entitled Love of Car: Transportation as We Age. It focuses on solutions such as driving safety, identifying strategies for driving safer longer, along with finding and using alternative transportation options. For a pdf copy of the accompanying discussion guide, go here. To obtain a free copy of the DVD you have to be a U.S. National Center on Senior Transportation member. Go here to find out what’s involved in accessing library resources.

4. "Contrary to expectations, senior drivers aren’t causing more crashes than they used to,” says the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Nor are they dying more often in crashes, even though they hold onto their licenses longer. In fact, the rate of fatal crashes per licensed driver 70 and older declined from 1997 to 2008.” For a pdf copy of the institute’s June Status Report, go here. For a hard copy of Recent Trends in Older Driver Crashes, email [email protected].

EVENTS FOR AGENCY STAFF 1. How can you make your organization more welcoming and inclusive? Learn from a panel of HR experts from the nonprofit and private sectors as they discuss how you can benefit from a more diverse workforce and welcoming workplace. Attend The Case for Building an Inclusive Workplace: What's in It for You? on Sept. 1 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and discover employee recruitment and retention practices that will help you attract staff from a broader labour pool. The session will be held at the Santa Maria Goretti Community Centre, 11050 - 90 Street, Edmonton. Registration opens soon. For information, contact Mandie Abrams, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations’ workforce strategy program manager, at [email protected] or 780-421-1660.

2. A free webinar on July 13 from noon to 1 p.m. will focus on “writing strong, measurable and meaningful strategic results; learning about outcomes, indicators and targets for defining and measuring your strategic results; providing an outline, examples, and sample tools for creating your organization’s plan; and showing funders how much your customers benefit from what you do”. For more information on Results- Based Planning, go here. The webinar is intended for non-profit executives and managers, board members, volunteer leaders and funding staff. The instructor is Kathy Keeley, a U.S.-based non-profit consultant.

3. “The nonprofit governing board has been described as an ineffective group of effective people. Trustees are recruited for their stature, skills or connections, and then are not engaged in a way that optimizes their potential contribution.” For more information about a free Non-Profit Boards and Effective Governance webinar on July 14 at 11 a.m., go here. It will offer “a range of concepts and tools for effective recruitment, orientation, stewardship, guidance and leadership development”. The presenter is Sam Frank, a U.S.-based non-profit advisor.

4. Resources for Victims of Crime is the focus of the 211 Edmonton Networker Meeting on July 21, 9 to 11 a.m., at The Support Network, 400, 10025 - 106 Street. Included will be a presentation by Melanie Wiens of the Elder Abuse Intervention Team and Elderly Adult Resource Services. The meeting can accommodate 40 people so RSVP by phoning 2-1-1 or emailing [email protected] with your name and the name of your agency.

5. Register online for a Sept. 15 Creative Age Forum at the Lister Conference Centre at the University of Alberta, 87 Avenue and 116 Street. Putting Research to Action will include a morning session with Susan Perlstein on Vital Arts Programs and an afternoon session with Jeff Nachtigall on Raw Vision: The Power of Art in Health Care. Other afternoon sessions will focus on finding funding to develop creative arts programs and on marketing and promoting these programs to seniors. The forum is aimed at senior sector staff, artists, volunteers, funders and decision-makers. The cost is $75. For more information and to register, go to the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council website at www.seniorscouncil.net or call 780-423-5635.

6. Volunteer Edmonton is holding a workshop series on Welcoming Newcomers to Canada in the Workplace beginning Sept. 24. The modules, developed by the University of Alberta Faculty of Extension and grounded in research, are Understanding the Context of Immigration, Awareness of Difference in the Workplace, Checking Assumptions and Challenging Stereotypes, Receiving Newcomers to Your Workplace, Providing Ongoing Support to Newcomers in the Workplace and Reviewing Policies and Procedures. The presenters are Zenobia Jamal and Evelyn Hamdon of Zenev Educational Consultants. Sessions are 9 a.m. to noon Fridays. Participants must commit to all six. Registration is $315, including GST, materials and refreshments. Register here or contact Evelyn at 780-732-6655 or [email protected] to pay by cheque.

WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SENIOR-SERVING SECTOR

The Native Seniors' Centre is looking for an executive director. Qualifications include two to five years experience in an office environment and knowledge of office duties/procedures; office/records management and accounting diploma; experience working with a board of directors and non- profit organizations; knowledge of preparing and submitting funding applications; knowledge of community agencies; experience in implementing services and programs; and knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal culture and traditions. Knowledge of Cree language an asset. Salary negotiable. Submit resume to Chairperson of Personnel Committee, Native Seniors' Centre, Cottage E 10107 – 134 Avenue, Edmonton, T5E 1J2; email [email protected] or fax 780-475-7957. Closing date: Aug. 1. ITEMS FOR SENIORS

1. ESCC board member Arlene Meldrum recently had an unexpectedly pleasant experience at her bank as a result of its efforts to be more senior-friendly. Read about the experience here. The ESCC would now like to find out if seniors have encountered other indications of helpfulness that could serve as examples of what businesses, doctor offices and other service providers could be doing. We will post selected stories on our website and use all of the input to prepare for forums to show businesses how to act in a more age-friendly manner. Email your stories to [email protected] or send them to the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council, #308, 10310 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, T5J 2W4.

2. LinkingBoomers.com, a website devoted to helping people age 50+ connect to the community, lists Whyte Avenue as one of the places to be this weekend. The Sounds of Old Strathcona Music Festival will feature lots of young performers but includes groups such as Wilfred N & the Grown Men and The Twisted Pickers whose members have been around for a while. For information, go here. The avenue will be blocked off between 103 and 105 Street on Sunday for a “street fair” with shopping and entertainment. For more information, go here.

3. The Edmonton Social Planning Council book club reads “Canadian literature that relates to social issues we see in our community”. The club’s next meeting is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on July 12 at the Old Strathcona Public Library for a discussion of The Cellist of Sarajevo. “There's no big commitment involved.” Simply read the book and drop in. For more information, go here.

4. The Jeff Allen Art Gallery at Strathcona Place Senior Centre, 10831 University Avenue, Edmonton, features Stories, an exhibition by watercolourist Karen Bishop, until July 28. The centre is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information call 780-433-5807.

VOLUNTEER/WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIORS

1. Edmonton Meals on Wheels is seeking a volunteer sandwich maker. “Put your sandwich artistry to work by volunteering from 6 to 8 a.m., Tuesday to Thursday, and help make the meals that feed the community. It only takes a couple of hours to make a difference.” For more information, call 780-429-2020 or email [email protected]. 2. Eldercare Edmonton, a non profit organization that provides day programs for seniors as well as caregiver support, is seeking board members with an interest in senior services in the community, a commitment to the mission of the organization and a willingness to attend monthly board meetings. ElderCare is also looking for volunteers to assist at day programs with socializing and helping with crafts and card games, and for people interested in assisting with monthly bingos. For more information contact Renée at 780-434-4747 ext.4 or [email protected].

3. The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is looking for volunteers for its Heritage Days rest area. By taking on one or more shifts for tattoos, colouring, football toss or just socializing, seniors earn food tickets, get a chance to enjoy the event, and “have fun with the EFCL team”. To participate, go here to sign up for shifts and email [email protected] with your contact information.

4. Meals on Wheels is looking for a volunteer marketing and fund development assistant to help with organizing and implementing special events, direct mail campaigns and other department initiatives. The successful candidate will be organized and able to meet a deadline, pay attention to detail, have the ability to follow instructions and work independently while functioning as a member of a team, and have a positive and outgoing personality. Computer literacy is an asset. Hours are flexible and some work can be done from home. For more information and to apply for the position, forward a cover letter and resume to [email protected] or call 780-429-2020.

5. Rock'n August is an international car show and music festival in St. Albert that last year attracted more than 500 classic car entries and 50,000 people, making it one of the largest events to take place in the province of Alberta. Rock'n August, Aug. 3 to 8, is one of the Alberta Diabetes Foundation’s biggest annual contributors, providing a record high of over $109,000 in 2009. “We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to fulfill all positions!” For more information, contact Miya Abe at 780-492-9625 or [email protected], or visit www.afdr.ab.ca.

6. The Medically At-Risk Driver Centre is looking for healthy female volunteers willing to help it determine whether self-screening tools developed to enable older drivers to assess their own driving ability produce accurate results. The centre is looking for female participants age 65 and older who have taken over as the primary driver in the household within the past two years. “Participation does not jeopardize the status of anyone’s driver’s licence and there is no cost to participate.” The time commitment required is four to four-and-a-half hours spread over two to three visits. For more information contact Stephanie Skinner at 780-492- 5892 or Tara Pidborochynski at 780-248-1728.

7. The University of Alberta is looking for volunteers age 60 to 85 who are willing to participate in studies of the brain using brain imaging methods. Participants must not have experienced neurological disorders or diseases such as epilepsy, brain tumour, brain surgery or stroke; must not have a pacemaker, metal implants, pins, plates or metal fragments in their eyes; and must not be taking medication for high blood pressure. Taking medication for depression, however, does not rule you out. For more information, contact the Laboratory of Dr. Dolcos at 780-492-3260 or email [email protected].

8. The University of Alberta Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is looking for seniors willing to help first year students gain experience in talking and listening to people who regularly use medications. Participants are asked to speak with small groups of eight students for 30 minutes twice. “Specifically, the pharmacy students will be asking questions about your medical condition, how it has impacted your life, the medication(s) you use and your interactions with pharmacists.” The sessions are Monday, Sept. 20, and Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 2 to 3 p.m. in Room 4156, Dentistry/Pharmacy Centre, University of Alberta. For more information call Kristen Kulak at 780-492- 7729 or email [email protected].