Older adults are a vibrant and significant part of our community’s fabric. Nearly 16% of Winnipeggers are 65 years or older, and one in 10 people in rural Manitoba are 65 plus. By 2028, the number of seniors in our province is expected to increase by 31%.
But as Manitobans age, it can be harder to access assistance—and more difficult to find help.
211 Manitoba and United Way Winnipeg are pleased to partner with the provincial Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care to develop a set of Seniors Resource Guides, released this week across the province, to make it easier for older adults to find the resources they need.
“Finding information and supports as you get older can be overwhelming. There are incredible programs in our province, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start,” said Michael Richardson, United Way Winnipeg’s President and CEO
“These Seniors Resource Guides, in addition to calling 2-1-1 and speaking to one of our Service Navigators, will make the process of searching for the right resources a trusted and reliable one for older Manitobans.”
Accessible and easy-to-read, the guides are filled with a wide range of community, health, and government programs for older adults, caregivers, and their families to navigate supports throughout the province.
Hundreds of listings include resources for home care, transportation options, housing, active living and recreation, mental health, senior abuse, legal support, fraud and more.
A full provincial guide is available, along with five regional versions and a Guide pour les Aînés du Manitoba in French.
The guides are available online and are also downloadable to print for quick reference.
"Finding information and supports as you get older can be overwhelming."
In addition to the Manitoba Seniors Resource Guides, help also starts for older adults at 211 Manitoba’s 24-hour phone line—a simple way to connect and speak with someone just by dialling just one three-digit number.
Currently, over 400 Manitobans call 2-1-1 every week looking for resources for health, food, transportation, and housing services. More than 20% of those callers are older adults.
“Healthy seniors are critical to the well-being of our province,” Richardson said.
“211 and the Manitoba Seniors Resource Guides can help alleviate stress and loneliness, engage the mind and body, and improve lives by giving older adults a simple and reliable connection to our community.”
