The Town of Preeceville will be joining other communities across the province in celebrating Seniors鈥� Week from September 28 to October 4.
This special week encourages everyone to come together to recognize how important seniors are every day in every community. In Preeceville the week will be marked with a fun movie afternoon with popcorn and refreshments served on September 29 at the Preeceville Club 60.
The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of seniors, according to its promotional efforts for Seniors鈥� Week. Saskatchewan seniors are an active and engaged group. 鈥淪eniors鈥� Week provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the many positive contributions seniors make in our province, whether it鈥檚 in the arts, culture, sport or community.鈥�
鈥淪eniors鈥� Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of the important role older persons play in the life of this province. Seniors enhance the quality of life in Saskatchewan in many and varied ways,鈥� said Elaine Simpson, Preeceville鈥檚 economic development officer. According to Statistics Canada, the economic value of volunteer work performed by seniors in Canada is $2.3 billion annually. Without this contribution, the public and private sectors would have to ? ll this gap or the standard of living within these communities would deteriorate.
The provincial government said the idea of celebrating a Seniors鈥� Week annually was initiated by the impact of the International Year of Older Persons (IYOP) in 1999. A provincial IYOP 1999 committee was formed in the fall of 1998. Subsequently, as recommended by that IYOP 1999 Committee, a Provincial Advisory Committee of Older Persons (PACOP) was formed in 2000.
PACOP is guided by the following vision: to protect and promote the health, dignity and well-being of all older persons in Saskatchewan.
Seniors鈥� Week is intended to focus on the unique impact this rapidly growing segment of the population has had, and is having, on society by celebrating its accomplishments, portraying positive images, erasing stereotypes and dispelling myths about aging.
Its goals and objectives are: to recognize and honour older persons in Saskatchewan; to encourage positive public attitudes towards older persons; to highlight the positive contributions of older persons; to raise awareness and issues of importance to older persons; to promote an understanding of the aging process; to encourage a healthy lifestyle for persons of all ages; and to have fun.
