West End Seniors’ Network’s executive director Anthony Kupferschmidt with Michelle Bobyn (far left), manager of community services, and COVID-19 Response Hub manager Kari Kesslar. (click any photo to enlarge) — West End Seniors’ Network’s executive director Anthony Kupferschmidt with Michelle Bobyn (far left), manager of community services, and COVID-19 Response Hub manager Kari Kesslar. *(click any photo to enlarge)*

WEST END SENIORS’ NETWORK
Providing Needed Help In A Troubled Time

Every business and community organization has been doing their best for the past year to continue providing goods and services as best they can and adapt almost weekly to new directives from Dr. Henry. The invaluable West End Seniors’ Network (WESN) has been no exception.

Last spring the provincial government announced the launch of the Safe Seniors, Strong Communities initiatives, and WESN has been a key part of the execution of that plan.

According to WESN’s executive director Anthony Kupferschmidt: “We were named one of 24 COVID-19 Community Response Hub agencies around the province by the Ministry of Health, and one of only four across Vancouver. Almost overnight, we were asked to serve a much larger geographic area than we normally do.

Historic Barclay Manor is headquarters for the West End Seniors’ Network.

“As a Response Hub agency, we began receiving service requests via BC211 from older adults in Kitsilano, Arbutus Ridge, West Point Grey, and UBC. We were also asked to offer new services. While we already provide services like check-in phone calls and grocery shopping and delivery, we had never offered prepared meal delivery before. We couldn’t do it alone, and we worked with our partners at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House to serve older adults on the other side of False Creek and English Bay and with our friends at Gordon Neighbourhood House and at Shift Delivery Co-op to create a prepared meal delivery service for our community. And of course, we had waves of new volunteers contacting us directly and through BC211 to help us rise to the challenge.

"WESN members or clients don’t need to call BC211 if they need assistance,” Anthony reminds us. “Call 604.669.5051 (and ask for Kari) or email us at responsehub@wesn.ca if you or someone you care for would like to receive check-in phone calls or virtual visits from a WESN volunteer, or if you need prepared meals or help with grocery shopping or getting your medications.”

In addition to participating in the wider community’s response to the crisis, WESN has been able to keep some of its regular programs going. Their Kay’s Place drop-in and information centre and the Clothes and Collectibles thrift shop, both in Denman Mall, remain open under COVID-19 safety guidelines.

While most of the in-person programs are on pause, some spa services for seniors, technological assistance, and several online cultural activities such as the Painting Studio Art Challenge, Heritage Harmonies sing-along, and TED Talks have gone virtual, and you can stay fit with several online exercise programs. Other virtual programs, in cooperation with Gordon Neighbourhood House, include cooking classes, yoga and meditation, and the photo club.

Says Anthony: “This time has been one of the most intense and most rewarding in the history of WESN. I am so honoured to be associated with an organization doing so much more for older adults in our community than I might have thought possible a few short months ago. This is a testament to the amazing team we have.”

For more information, visit WESN’s website here.

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Thank you!
Kevin Dale McKeown
Editor & Publisher