The Kootenay Branch of COSCO, KCOSA Kootenay Council of Senior Associations is now fully formed and ready to tackle important local seniors issues.

The Kootenay Branch of COSCO, KCOSA Kootenay Council of Senior Associations is now fully formed and ready to tackle important local seniors issues. We currently have five organizations with a total membership of close to 2,000 seniors. President: Craig Gray Vice President: Griff Welsh Secretary: Wilbur Wostradowski Treasurer: Janice Wostradowski Ombudsperson: Judy Gray Directors: Ralph White, Yvonne Tedesco, Marilyn Pollard, Gene Bradford Committee Member: Lorrie Bradford Our goal is to make available to Kootenay Seniors the Advocacy of a united front KCOSAs purpose is to reach out to ALL Kootenay seniors To promote local seniors to participate in their local Seniors Associations Together we are stronger and more effective in dealing with our local issues KCOSA will continue to offer our areas Seniors the COSCO Health & Wellness Workshops available free of charge. There are presently 44 workshops running approximately 90 minutes in length, covering issues from the Seniors point of view More Facilitators now available in our area Call to book a workshop COSCO / KCOSA has a close relationship Sheila Pither, Health & Wellness, Lorraine Logan President COSCO, Craig Gray President KCOSA The conceptual idea is to offer Seniors that must take the compulsory medical and Driveable program, (mandated by the BC Motor Vehicle Branch) a training program to assist them in meeting compliance, run by seniors This is a serious and frightening issue for our Seniors, and they need the support a program of this kind can offer. This topic covers various aspects of how aging may affect driving skills and gave detailed information about the assessment procedures in place for seniors whose cognitive ability is failing or whose age is nearing 80. For many seniors, getting a driver medical examination report is a mysterious and frightening prospect. It is doubly nerve-wracking if tests like the Simard test are presented with very little or no warning for the seniors wanting to renew their drivers licences. Advocacy is the mainstay of KCOSA. It involves taking issues brought to KCOSA, that are general in nature to the local seniors community, and to our members to develop a plan of action Communication simply means going and seeing, talking and listening to our area seniors, and facilitating a path of communications between the various seniors organizations, and the agencies they need. Rural areas of the province such as the Kootenays have a lack of comprehensive transit services Many seniors in our area are intimidated by the Transit service, as they have not used it in the past. We are planning a program that should eliminate Seniors concerns on Transit, increase Nelson Transit's knowledge of seniors needs, and be a social occasion for seniors with their own peer group. COSCO/KCOSA Health & Wellness Scheduled Workshops Memory and Aging : Friday, November 20, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. CASTLE WOOD VILLAGE 525 Columbia Ave Castlegar Hosts: Golden Life Safety in the Home: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. SILVER KETTLE RESIDENCES 72 nd Avenue Grand Forks Hosts: Golden Life Management SEE YOU ALL IN December! For the most updated information: Check out our NEWwebsite To Reach our Ombudsperson: Phone: