Saskatchewan Blue Cross partners with Seniors Centre Without Walls

SASKATOON, SK , Dec. 4, 2023 /CNW/ - Saskatchewan Blue Cross, a leading health and wellness solutions provider, is eager to announce our latest partnership with Seniors Centre Without Walls with $7,500 in funding to support their Health Literacy programming.

Health Literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to understand basic health information to make appropriate health decisions. At Saskatchewan Blue Cross, one of our main areas of focus is to improve Health Literacy across the province.

The funds provided will be used to pay for speakers, purchase supplies and advertise to target demographics. Seniors Centre Without Walls is also working with Saskatchewan Seniors Association Incorporated to offer programs to their 2,900 rural members. Additionally, funding will continue to offer companion support to seniors in Moose Jaw to attend doctor visits and professional appointments, well as helping seniors understand health related information.

"Seniors Centre Without Walls is an integral organization in Saskatchewan, offering seniors a way to connect and improve overall well-being." Said Kelly Wilson, CEO of Saskatchewan Blue Cross. "By offering ways to socialize and learn, they help build inclusive opportunities at no cost to individuals. Their work is something Saskatchewan Blue Cross supports as it aligns with our commitment to improving the health and wellness for all people in the province."

Evidence suggests that rural older adults may experience higher rates of social isolation due to their location and lack of access to services. In Saskatchewan, approximately 50 per cent of people over the age of 80 report feeling lonely. Loneliness is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide.

Seniors Centre Without Walls ensures the accessibility of social opportunities, reducing loneliness and isolation that are detrimental to seniors' health. They provide ways to socialize, learn new skills and stay connected through the comfort of home with free telephone-based interactive programming.

"We are thankful Saskatchewan Blue Cross is helping ensure rural Saskatchewan seniors will have connections to Health Literacy programing that they might not otherwise have access to," said Ronda Wedhorn, program manager at Seniors Centre Without Walls. "Our partnership will address the need to present Health Literacy learning through innovative telephone programming and will be available in 2024."

Learn more at sk.bluecross.ca.

SOURCE Saskatchewan Blue Cross