The Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association are recipients of nearly $50,000 in provincial funding that will allow the organization to continue their active living activities geared to local residents.

The Ontario government is continuing to invest in the health and well-being of our local seniors through the Seniors Active Living Centres in 2022-2023, benefitting seniors in Bay of Quinte. These centres will help local seniors stay fit, active, healthy and socially connected with all of their programs. This year, the Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association will receive $49,462.24 and the City of Belleville’s Seniors 55+ program at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre will receive $47,000 respectively to support their activities.

Provincially, Seniors Active Living Centre operators are community-based and promote wellness and social interaction through almost 300 programs across the province.

“Seniors Active Living Centres help keep Seniors fit, active, healthy and connected to family, friends and our communities,” said Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “Our government’s investment in Seniors Active Living Centres will help older adults come together and stay engaged. Seniors Active Living Centres are the glue that keeps our neighbourhoods together.”

“Seniors Active Living Centres provide our seniors the quality of life they deserve,” said Todd Smith, MPP for Bay of Quinte. “This local Seniors Active Living Centre programming will provide support for older adults and their well-being by keeping them active and socially connected within their own communities.”

According to the province, the seniors population in Ontario is the fastest growing age group. By 2023, there will be 3 million Ontarians over the age of 65. Experts say active living brings positive health benefits, including helping seniors live in their own home and in their communities.

Barb Proctor, the Chair of the Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association said the provincial funding helps keep seniors connected in her community.

“Prince Edward Community Care is pleased to receive this funding that will help us continue to offer active living programs in The County. These programs have moved online during the pandemic and have become of vital importance to help seniors remain active and also to reduce social isolation. Working together, we help seniors live at home,” Proctor said.

Mitch Panciuk, Mayor of the City of Belleville, was also pleased with the renewed funding.

“The City is very pleased to receive this funding for the programming at Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre. City staff are always finding creative ways to support seniors at the centre and this will give them further resources to expand on those initiatives,” said Panciuk. Those interested in learning about Community Care’s full offering of programs can visit www.communitycareforseniors.org.

Those interested in Belleville’s Seniors 55+ programs can visit www.quintesportsandwellnesscentre.ca.

The Seniors’ Centre Without Walls Micro-Grants program funded by the province through the Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario helps seniors stay connected to their communities through telephone-based social and educational programs. The program is a free interactive telephone-based group program for socially isolated seniors and people with disabilities who find it difficult to leave their homes.

-Staff