This letter comes to you from Buckeye, Arizona, where I am
presently house sitting for a while in my daughters vacation home.
Yes, I know it's a dirty job but someone has to do it. The weather
is beautiful, warm during the day and cool in the evenings.
I am sitting here in the computer room of the Buckeye community center
which is also the Buckeye senior center, and what a center it is! No
membership required, you just have to look old and I can qualify for that.
The center is open Monday to Friday except on State and National
holidays and from 8 am to 5 pm. With everything that any senior could want.
Huge dining area, games area, craft and meeting area etc. Large kitchen
that serves a lunch every day for $2. Guests pay $5 and there is coffee
tea and juices on hand all day. The menu varies every day and a program
for activities and menus is printed a month ahead. They play cards
(Texas hold-em poker,) they line dance, have exercise groups in a room
with exercise equipment that helps to keep the residents that
use the center fit and active. A library that has most of the newest
books (supported by the library in Buckeye,) they take bus trips
somewhere every week and of course they have a computer room with
6 computers that are all on line with computer classes that can be
taken at any time. All of this is provided free of charge and it is
staffed by the town of Buckeye's recreational, occupational and
clerical personnel. These people design all the activities and
programs in conjunction with a small company of seniors. The center
is well maintained and transportation is provided to anyone who needs
it with staff to help seniors with diet, housing and health care adviced
Arizona was always a needy State before the recession struck. There
were thousands of people who lost their jobs and in lots of cases had
also lost their homes. It has now started to regain some of its former
losses with the help of the United States Government but it still has
a long way to go. Despite all that and the seniors tell me this is true,
towns similar to Buckeye across this state have continued to provide these
services to its seniors. Now if a State such as Arizona can provide that
type of service to its seniors despite the bad times they are suffering, why
can't a "have" province such as Saskatchewan do a better job with it's seniors?
Seniors are not asking for a lot. All they want is some help keeping the
doors of their senior centers open. A little help to pay their taxes and
utilities would be just fine and would go a long way to keeping seniors
active and healthy. After all it only takes an agreement with some of the
Crown Corporations such as Energy, Power and telephone to create a new level
of customers. Senior centers are not residential nor are they a business
but they are essential to the lives of many seniors. A small one word change
to the Municipal act regarding property taxes, changing a "may" to a "will"
in the forgiving of taxes would also help. That can't be too difficult.
Seniors who have paid their taxes and brought up their families under some
very difficult circumstances could be due a break, but it does seem that we
are always a low priority when it comes to a helping hand.
The Government of Saskatchewan has been promising a senior care strategy
for a couple of years now but still there is no sign of that happening. We
do seem to get lots of words but always very little action when it comes
to income, housing and health. After paying taxes all their lives and
raising families it appears that the only thing we have done wrong is
grow old. If growing old is a crime and at times it appears so, then
there are thousands and thousands of up and coming criminals on their
way as they approach their "old age." Maybe its all those pre seniors
who should be expressing their concerns at this time.
As we continue to hope for some changes we should not forgetto keep
active and stay healthy.
Len Fallows, President SSAI
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