Summary of what people told us... |
- Submitted separately from an individual: May 17, 2016
I enjoy my activities, because they make me feel better. Both table tennis and pickle ball have all the ingredients that I consider important to regularly and religiously pursue these endeavours : - The physical exercise is intense in small doses – for about an hour at a time I get to move around on my legs working up a wild sweat.
- The opportunity to interact and talk with my opponents or partners is also of prime importance to me
- These games are played for fun, the only serious side is the desire to win, it is important for me to feel that I gave my best, that I didn’t not let the partner down and that I am steadily improving my performance. It’s a friendly competition as well as a hilarious activity because of the unpredictable coincident happening on the court, on the table and because of the player’s inadequacies.
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I have tried exercising my legs in the deep pool the shallow pool, in the gym and on the bicycle, but my motivation soon flagged, because the competition, the fun, the interaction with other players was absent.
So I think that Saanich should foster table tennis, pickleball and other activities that keep you on your fee. They strengthen the leg muscles, the balance to keep you from falling, and they are self governing, because they let you play for as long as or as short as you wish. They are easy to learn and easy to teach. They are inexpensive. I therefore suggest that more rooms and equipment is provided in future. - I live in Saanich (Royal Oak) and make use of the following parks to walk my dog for up to an hour each time: Brydon, Gorge, Playfair, Rithet’s Bog, Beaver Lake and Beacon Hill
- I enjoy taking bus tours organized by the CRD to visit the Sooke Lake Watershed
- I play table tennis 2X a week at Silver Thread, 1 X week at Commonwealth Place
- I play pickle ball at least once a week at Commonwealth Place
- I play chess once a week at Silver Thread and 1X week at Esquimalt rec centre
- I attend talks and aging –related programs regularly at Yakimovich Centre and UVIC
- I enjoyed taking part in the IPal program- a joint venture effort between UVIC, Saanich and the Spectrum and Marigold Schools.
Submitted by individuals from Seniors Group Commonwealth Place
A few members of the Commonwealth Seniors Drop-In Group have offered some opinions regarding measures that believe could enhance the facilities and space presently available for the Seniors Group activities.
"We need a new centre for the seniors because there is nothing for us in the summer time".
- "I like your Senior's Goals"
- "In order to relieve pressure on your use by seniors of facilities here at Commonwealth Place it would be an idea for you to encourage other municipalities to start up similar program, ESPECIALLY TABLE TENNIS. In Esquimalt for instance and View Royal, etc., etc."
3. "Please plan a room for Saanich Seniors to be used twice a week at Commonwealth Place".
Submitted by individual in July
I am a member of Gorge Park Community Center. I rent a lot 100 FT square.
I will turn 80 this September. I have been living at Cedar Shore for over 23 years.
As I never thought to garden again (living in a condo ) I had given away my books , notes, etc .
While my husband was at sea (navy) I took gardening through Victoria Horticultural Society.
But I missed it so much! I started taking care of 4 gardens . It help me with my depression.
But When I heard that there would be a Community Garden in the Park next to my condo, I gave my name right away.
I was the 6th one on the list. What a delight it was!
However, after a couple of falls, once while jogging,(braking all the bones of my right hand ,and hurting my knees).
And another time tripping on some roots in the parking lot damaging my knees again.....
I have problems getting to the garden as there is a hill to go down from the parking lot of the condo to the Park.
I also have to lift the basket on wheels that carry the articles needed for different tasks for my lot.
A good soul has placed some cement steps but some have too much space between them, it is not safe and a ramp would be nice.
To go (by the sidewalk) by the street is a very long walk for me. As the entrance of the garden is at the other end, from the Park side.
We are a few elderly in the condos that have lots there and have problems. It would be so nice not to have to worry about that.
Could we have some solid stairs with room to get our basket down, 2 ramps and a pathway to get from the Cedar Shore Parking all the way to the garden ?
The grass is not level also.... It would be so much appreciated.
My regards and hope for the best....
Submitted August 11, 2016
I am not able to set up a group session, and attending public sessions is very uncomfortable for me due to severe osteoarthritis, but I would like to make a suggestion that would help others like me. Pool therapy is recommended for osteoarthritis, as it is pretty much the only exercise that most can take part in. The problem is the temperature of most pools is too cool for aching joints. If you are truly interested in helping older adults take part in exercise, the conversion of one of your pools to a warm water pool would encourage the many who suffer from this disease to join. This is a chart from Statistics Canada, showing the prevalence of osteoarthritis in older adults in Canada:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2014009/article/14087/tbl/tbl1-eng.htm Sufferers from the various forms – hip, knee, back, etc. are around 30% of Canadian adults aged 50 to 65, and 40% of those 65 and older. If you are looking for ways to get older adults to exercise, you cannot ignore these statistics.
The paragraph below is taken from the website of the Arthritis Foundation.
Consider finding a warm water pool. Warm water can be so helpful in fighting the pain and stiffness of arthritis and fibromyalgia that experts recommend heated pools for exercise. Various studies of patients with both conditions found that when they participated in warm water exercise programs two or three times a week, their pain decreased as much as 40 percent and their physical function increased. The exercise programs also gave an emotional boost, helped people sleep better and were particularly effective for obese individuals.
Please consider this when you engage in your group discussions.
Submitted September 29th, 2016
- Weight rooms and gyms are overwhelming and intimidating to some. Could you hold (weekly or monthly) orientation sessions for seniors at each recreation centre to show us how to use the exercise equipment and workout safely. Also orientation to the pools to show us easy in & out access.
Submitted September 2016
-I have been away from Victoria for 10 years. In London, Ontario. I participated in, and started, some lively community-engaged groups you may be interested in.
- Current affairs group
- ESL Book Reading circle
- Writer’s (critiquing/membership) group
- ESL conversation circle (usualy in tandem with a local immigrant/refugee organization
Submitted October 19th, 2016
My concern is that seniors programs are all ready meeting needs of engaged seniors with a few tweeks to meet specialized needs. But what about those who do not have the where with all to actually get to a rec center. What this means is that the 55 yes old to 70...75 may be very well served but the 80 plus who are having mobility, cognitive, sight and hearing issues may not be served as well.
Are you engaging the churches ? ... could you include there activities in your schedule? And vise versa with sharing of printing dollars. That could result in reaching more people.
Are you aware that the Cedar Hill Shelbourne McDonald's seems to acts as a drop in for various groups of seniors on week days. Interview the older staff there to find out what is really going on. Maybe the same thing is happening at other coffee shops. Maybe some partnering could happen.
And then there is the mental health aspect. Single seniors suffer from high rates of depression and isolation...and there is an increase in divorce at older ages. 65 plus. Often means less money and less of all kinds of things.
Submitted Oct 24th, 2016
Dear someone;
I have lived and worked and paid taxes ++ in Saanich for 42 years now, having arrived in June 1974. Raised 3 sons , volunteered ++etc.
It seems to me that it is still as difficult to find out what is happening in Saanich as it ever was. ie always very difficult. Maybe even more difficult in past 10 years. I had just figured out that there was an excellent local place to eat, take friends etc to the "public" Saanich golf course and then suddenly apparently thanks to the now ex mayor Leonard. it was gone. Poof! No matter that many hundreds of us expressed our surprise and dismay and attempted to speak at a series of very well attended meetings.
My take away from that experience is that almost no one seems to really care about the hopes and wishes of many Saanich taxpayers.
Taking a BC Transit bus now costs more. Walking brings me much too close to the cyclists and skateboarders I encounter on sidewalks.
The cost of Saanich tap water now seems to be more than I can afford/
Until 2 years ago, every time I tried to attend an event at Goward House I was told I needed to be a member.ie members only. I gave up trying.
I attend most of the Mount Tolmie Community Assoc meetings and continue ti be amazed that the local plan for the Mount Tolmie area appears very much out of date. It needs to be redone.
Bowker Creek is in this area and I want to see it again.ie It needs to be "uncovered".
I want the Saanich Parks staff to assist with maintaining and restoring the Garry Oak Meadows that are on Saanich and local private areas. ( I can expand on this point) The trees are very important, as are the local Camas Meadows.
PS Is there a BC registered Dietitian working with Saanich Parks and Recreation and available to assess and approve ( or not ) the snack/ meal items available for the young athletes who need to purchase " healthy " food and beverage items at the various rec centre concessions? Our children and grandchildren need to be nourished to be active, as do the older family members who also attend these locations, often to support their grandchildren.
Submitted Nov 22nd, 2016
What i would like to see:
A space where we can do daily yoga, tai-chi, meditation etc--some of us have been taking classes for years and don't seem to get it going at home. Just a place for a daily practice in the right ambiance. We need a space and some mats and props, screens (we can use our own headphones) in case some of us want to follow a routine online. It would make it more worthwhile to purchase a pass and we would spend more at the cafe with our new friends. This could happen during the day; convenient to access between appointments for the semi retired crowd.
Help us identify and work on a "bucket list" which could include things like doing a Triathlon, an Ironman or walk El Camino de Santiago, the Pacific Coast Trail....or around Elk Lake. Learn to play the guitar or create a wellness video.
For some people wellness and fitness have taken a back seat to raising kids and working crazy hours so it is a BIG shift to just do things to take care of one's self/health. Help us make that shift.
Provide us with even more Baby Steps to fitness; (even the Sprint Triathlon seem daunting (+ too much spandex) and those people are fanatics and not very inclusive of those who don't have the right bike etc...). I personally might try a synchro swimming class if it was for fun. And i have been wanting to learn to swim the butterfly stroke for a long time.
More coaching times; sometimes it would be nice to get tips and direction from someone without a formal 1 hour session with a personal trainer or a whole class.
Introduce cooperative activities for people who can't or don't want to socialize over cake or in the hot tub.
Why is there only Master's swimming? Aren't there other sports in the Master's program?
Coordinate with UVic on some of their continuing ed programs. There could be shuttles between the various rec centres and the university for seniors who don't drive or don't drive at night.
Some older adults are working and fit, and some younger people are not either. So do we need an older adult strategy? Or a developmental strategy? Looking at all life's strategy.
Plug in to the developmental needs of later adulthood: passing on experience, do meaningful actions (some of us need coaching to structure that in a way other than joining an existing organization to do volunteer work); Carpe Diem becomes meaningful. Continue to learn and challenge ourselves.
Put big poster's of (older) adults fully engaged in a fitness/wellness activity; show the various faces of sports and recreation. (Especially important in the weight room.), not just doing watercolour and pottery.