SAD TIME OF YEAR FOR MANY SENIORS

BUT HELP IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE FEELING ISOLATED

For many Hamilton seniors, January has become more than a cold and snowy month.

With COVID-19 closing coffee shops and recreation centres, the feeling of isolation has become more intense.

According to the 2017 Hamilton Social Isolation Impact Plan, about 12,000 seniors in the community are isolated.

"We think it's much higher with COVID," said Dr. Alexandra Papaioannou, a professor in the department of medicine at McMaster University, geriatrician at Hamilton

Health Sciences and executive director of the GERAS Centre for Aging Research.

She noted the many older residents are no longer able to follow their regular routines due to the pandemic.

"The lady at Tim Hortons saying Good morning

every day to you, sitting down having your coffee, going to a seniors' centre, all those kinds of things, if you're isolated, it has become much worse," she said.

The social isolation impact plan notes people who live alone (after the death of a spouse), have a disability, suffer from poor health, face language barriers, live in poverty and lack access to services and supports are particularly at risk of being isolated.

Papaioannou said seniors who are socially isolated are also more likely to be less active and more likely to suffer a fall.

Her advice to seniors feeling socially isolated is to get moving, go for a 10minute walk each day and take advantage of local programs available to them.

Support programs include the GERAS Centre for Aging Research that offers several free programs including dancing for cognition and exercise to older adults at the YMCA Hamilton Burlington Brantford once COVID restrictions are lifted.

The centre can be contacted at 905-521-2100 ext. 12437.

There is also the Mac Phone-A-Friend program where volunteer McMaster University students are paired with seniors.

The students make regular phone checks and offer support and friendship.

For more information, contact MacSeniorIsolationPrevention@gmail.com.

General information about programs aimed at reducing seniors' isolation can be obtained from the Hamilton Council on Aging at 905-777-3837 ext. 12434.

"Everybody can make a difference," Papaioannou said. "Think about calling older people in your life."

At the Hamilton Community Food Centre on the west Mountain, they recently began a Seniors Without Walls program where seniors and others who are unable to get out due to physical or health reasons can take part in a free weekly conference call.

"It's as easy as dialing your phone and pressing an extension number," said Krista D'aoust, director of family services at Neighbour to Neighbour Centre (N2N) and the and the food centre which is run by

N2N. "You can have 10 or 12 or more people on the call at the same time, so everybody can meet each other by phone and chat with each other."

An N2N staffer guides the weekly conversations that are available in English, Spanish and Arabic.

The calls last up to 90 minutes.

Seniors can register for the program by calling 905574-1334 ext. 213, or via msarmiento@n2ncentre.com.