SENIORS ARE SOCIALLY CONNECTED

Program Overview

While social isolation among seniors are existing public health concerns, the self-quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic made seniors socially disconnected and put seniors at a greater risk of depression and anxiety. What is more, Chinese-Canadian seniors are not only suffering from the pandemic but also suffering from communication barriers and targeted racism/xenophobia.

As a non-profit organization, we would like to take actions and help Chinese Canadian seniors. Art can give seniors pleasure and heal them from depression. Table tennis is the most suitable sport for seniors as it improves physical and mental health and can efficiently maintenance social distancing while playing.

Also, art and table tennis are the most popular activities among ChineseCanadian seniors. Therefore, we are proposing a project to integrate art and table tennis to engage seniors and youths to connect, participate and inspire Chinese Canadian seniors.

Funded by the Government of Canada

The project has the 5 initiatives below:

1. Our senior art instructors will offer 20 free virtual art training (bi-weekly training for 10 months) to benefit 150 seniors, who can learn various art forms, gain pleasure and heal depression.

2. Our senior table tennis coaches will offer 40 free table tennis training (weekly training for 10 months) to benefit 100 seniors, while following social distancing regulations.

3. The project will host 40 “senior day” events (weekly activities for 10 months) to benefit 150 seniors, who can enjoy free table tennis, engage in more than 150 minutes of physical activities every week and continue to do so as a part of their new lifestyle. The project will ensure adequate social distancing during seniors’ activities.

4. Our senior volunteers will build a virtual intergenerational group and conduct 10 intergenerational connection events (monthly for 10 months) to benefit 150 seniors and 50 youths, who can virtually share art learning and participate in table tennis recreational events.

5. Our above 4 programs and activities will be posted through various social media sites to encourage more seniors to learn and enjoy art and table tennis virtually during and after the project. We anticipate our project activities will reach 1,000 impressions (500 seniors) The quantitative measures of the project’s success can be evaluated through the number of participants, including 1050 seniors and 550 youths (150 seniors in art training programs, 100 seniors in table tennis training programs, 150 seniors in free table tennis playing, 150 seniors and 50 youths in the virtual intergenerational events, and 500 seniors and 500 adults online viewers for our postings).