1. We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

2. prime time in kanata Seniors Outreach Project GCUC
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

3. Goals Meet GCUC commitment to a focus on community-based outreach
Make a significant difference to the well-being of people in our community
Do something that no one else is doing
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

4. A Time of Many Transitions
Our Senior Years - Life’s Final Journey
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

5. A Time of Personal Challenges
Reduced or fixed income
Loss of career/purpose
Life style change
Less energy and mobility
Fewer friends and family
Care and/or death of parents, spouse, friends
Stress of children’s university, career, marriage, home, moving , grandchildren, divorce,
Challenges increase with age while our ability to deal with challenges decreases with age
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

6. Major Life Issues Financial Health Housing Legal & Logistics
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

7. Looking for Help
Hundreds of agencies, businesses and groups offer help to seniors, for example:
Fifty-Five Plus, “Ultimate Guide to Retirement Living”, 2016 Ottawa Edition lists 766 entities which provide services to seniors
Ottawa Community Support Coalition lists 28 organizations providing services for seniors and adults with physical disabilities
Kanata Seniors Council web-site provides links to 118 organizations providing help to seniors as well as a list 26 of recommended retailers and 31 service providers
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

8. A Blizzard of Information
The problem is not the lack of information or service agencies; rather the problem is:
Identifying the Senior’s real need
Finding the right information
Having someone provide guidance through the process
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

9. Everyone Is Unique
Everyone is at a different stage on their personal journey; we each face a different set of challenges and life issues.
Person-to-person communication is the most effective way to identify individual needs and establish trust – everyone has a story.
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

10. Listening is the key to understanding
Communicating with seniors is not always easy:
Seniors often do not know what they don’t know
Seniors often do not know what they really need
Seniors often can not articulate what they need
Listening is the key to identifying what a senior needs
Asking the right questions will lead to the right answers
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

11. Proposal Develop a program of “Life Coaches” for seniors
Four basic elements:
1 on 1 communication (Life Coach and Senior)
Identify and articulate the Senior’s real need(s)
Find relevant information and someone to help
Follow-up with the Senior to monitor success
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

12. Program Goal
The ultimate goal of the Life Coach is not to solve the problem for the Senior, but rather, to find an existing agency or service than can deliver a solution, and
To make personal contact between the Senior and a responsible person who will commit to working with the Senior, and
Follow-up with both parties to ensure success.
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

13. Life Coaches
The first building block of the program will be to find, train and mange Life Coaches:
Hire a part time social worker to manage program and train coaches
Coaches can come from:
Placement requirements for College and University Social Work Programs
Senior volunteers with experience and skills
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

14. Matching Seniors and Coaches
The second building block will be to develop a system to link Seniors to Coaches
Information and advertising campaign to seniors groups and support agencies in Kanata
Establish referral process from service agencies, seniors residences, churches, clubs and health providers in Kanata
Sponsor a series of information sessions for seniors on pressing topics.
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

15. Prime Time Coaching
The third building block will be build a home for the program:
Create a GCUC Working Group; establish a budget
Hire a professional part-time manager
Build a web-site
Develop a Coach’s training program
Acquire technology to track Seniors and Coaches
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

16. Next Steps
Apply for start-up funding from granting agencies – Successful – raised $75,000
Budget approval from GCUC Council – Jan. 2018
Hire program manager – Jan. 2018
Train coaches – Feb. 2018
Launch Prime Time program – Mar. 2018
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

17. Questions?
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith

18. Seniors Helping Seniors
We are called by God to be a welcoming church where we respect differences and build Christian community as we learn, grow, celebrate, and reach out in faith