As a senior on a low income in Victoria, I feel totally left out of the community spirit over the holiday season. It seems that there are siloes of help for elders every year but if you don’t fit in, tough luck.
The fact is, seniors are not a huge amorphous group and we are as diverse as any other demographic. Many of us live independently and are not connected to care homes or seniors’ services. So our names never get tossed into the hat, despite the fact our needs are similar to and sometimes greater than the ones who get the goodies.
Many years ago, I would apply to the Christmas Fund as an individual senior and pick up a gift card at the old Times Colonist building. But those days are over.
What a shame. Things need to change back to where nobody is abandoned during the holidays.
Doreen Marion Gee
Victoria
