More of everything at the Seniors Expo

By Nadine Armstrong

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

This year’s Seniors Safety Expo promises to be the best to date. Not only will there be more displays on the floor, but the fair has changed its name so everyone feels welcome. Hants Seniors Safety Program co-ordinator Judy Gregory says the expo is not only for seniors, but for family members and caregivers, as well.

The new name, Community Wellness Day Seniors Expo, will ensure all members of the public are invited.

The expo has been around for the past six years, with attendance steadily climbing to more than 300 last year. The primary focus of the expo is to share information and resources’ pertaining to seniors, but the event is also a great way to combat isolation. “This gets seniors out to socialize and have some fun,” Gregory said. “They often meet up with old friends and make new ones; they love it.”

The expo will take place this year at the Royal Canadian Legion #009 in Windsor, with light refreshments courtesy the Legion auxiliary. “The Legion has been a fantastic supporter of our programs,” Gregory said. And, with food provided and wheelchair accessibility, they couldn’t ask for a venue.

With more than 54 displays, Gregory said it’s hard to pick the ‘must see’ tables although she suggests the Vial of Life and Falls Prevention Program are two of the most critical safety resources in the area. There was an above average request for tables this year with some new resources from the Metro and Valley areas, including Home Safe Living a company in Dartmouth that provides safety lifts, Metro Voice Print for television captions and Moving for Seniors, a valley company that assists seniors in packing and transporting during a relocation.

The Department of Community Services Housing is also new to the expo this year. Gregory said they offer many housing repair grants that would be valuable to seniors. “This is all about keeping seniors in their own homes for as long as possible,” Gregory said.

The expo is presented in partnership with the Seniors Safety Program Association of Hants County and the West Hants Community Health Board