Swan River and District Community

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516 Main Street
Box 2641
Swan River, MB R0L 1Z0

Office hours are from 9am to 4pm
Coordinator: Kathleen Markle

Phone: 734-5707 • Fax: 734-4163
Email: swandcrc@mts.net

Who We Are:
The Resource Council, formed in 1994, consists of 10 to 15 members elected annually for the purpose of providing services and programs to support seniors and people with disabilities.  Their goal is to assist seniors to live happier, healthier lives and safely maintain their independence in their own homes for as long as possible.

Seniors are a large and expanding part of our population in the Parkland area.  The percentage of people over 55 in the town of Swan River is 33% and 31% in the RM.  The villages in our service area, Benito, Bowsman and Minitonas, have similar populations.  The programs that have evolved to meet these needs are the Swan River Lifeline Program, five Congregate Meal Programs, Volunteer Services and Fee for Service Referrals.

Swan River Lifeline Program: Program owns 101 units and has 12 rental units for backup
With growing community awareness and increasing referrals from Home Care and local physicians, our Emergency Response Program has expanded to a radius of 51 miles surrounding the town of Swan River, from Mafeking in the north, Pine River to the south west and Benito and area to the south east. This past year, 11 new units were purchased and four of our older units were upgraded to new models. The Lifeline Program is a proven resource in the Parkland area, enabling seniors and people with disabilities to remain safely and independently in their own homes for much longer periods of time.  The program has grown from 60 subscribers five years ago to the current high of 102 subscribers and we believe it will continue to expand.

Services to Seniors Program:
Services in this program are strictly volunteer powered and include local and long distance transportation and escort service as well as assistance with shopping and errands.  These services enable seniors to be out and about in the community seeing people and socializing while carrying out responsibilities they would otherwise have to relinquish.  When someone is confined to their home for a period of time, we have the Friendly Visitor Program and our Daily Hello phone check.
We also conduct Blood Pressure Clinics once a month at seven sites in Swan River and two sites in Minitonas.  We run an indoors Seniors Walking Program weekly throughout the winter months in Swan River and a weekly exercise class in Benito.

Long Distance Transportation
It has been well established that travel for medical reasons raises serious problems for seniors in the Parkland area. They include financial, the need for an escort or companion to assume the responsibility of “getting them to the right place at the right time,” and scheduling difficulties if they use the bus service.  With the recent cuts in bus service in rural areas, these problems have seriously escalated.
Long distance transportation services are enabling seniors on fixed and limited incomes to travel to out of town doctor, treatment, and surgery appointments that they might not keep otherwise. Financial ability is only one of the issues this service helps to address. Drivers also fill the roles of escort and organizer, relieving much of the stress associated with these trips and adding a much-appreciated social component for their clients.  This service is provided by volunteers who are reimbursed only for out of pocket expenses such as gas, etc.

Fee for Service
Fee for Service areas include odd jobs, cleaning, yard work, snow removal, respite services, foot care, hairdressing, seamstress, locksmith and chimney cleaning. Seniors are very appreciative of their “one stop shopping “centre when they need these extra services and have been very positive in their feedback.  Fee for Service Providers are screened carefully when they apply.  The application process includes an interview, reference check and a criminal record check.

Congregate Meal Program
The five Congregate Meal Programs run under the auspices of the Swan River & District Community Resource Council provide many diverse benefits for the program participants.  Body, mind and soul are all equally important factors in the health and well being of each of us.  Nutritious, well balanced “made from scratch” meals do much to address an important part of the physical need at a cost that is affordable.  The regular gathering together to share a meal, the shared conversation before, during and after the meal, the unique relationship with the cook that many of the participants develop, all help to further socialization and stimulate interest in life and in one another.  Anything that creates a sense of belonging helps offset the sense of isolation experienced by many of our seniors.  Communal meals help address this universal need by developing and enhancing a strong sense of community among the senior participants.  These programs are evaluated annually by the program participants and the feedback we receive assures us of their worth.  It’s been well established that the Congregate Meal Programs make a strong contribution to the senior participants ability to maintain their independence in a setting that nourishes body, mind and soul.

There are currently four 5 day programs running in Swan River at Duck Mountain Manor, Westside Lodge, Heritage Manor and Fairhaven Apartments.  The fifth program at Rainbow Lodge is a six day program.

Community Programs and Workshops
We have been expanding our focus on programs and services of an educational nature that we can bring into the community for seniors of all ages.  In the past several years we have undertaken to bring in community programs and workshops related to seniors as opportunities arose.   Among them are the Safety Aid Program which is in its’ third year of installing peepholes and deadbolts free of charge for seniors who need them.  They will also assess homes for fall prevention and security issues if requested.  This program has been very well received and appreciated in our community.

The Mature Driver’s Workshop is another program we invited to present to our senior population with excellent response both years.

The projects, programs and workshops we have been involved in are many and varied and we are always looking for new, interesting opportunities to facilitate for the education and enjoyment of the seniors we serve.