ElderCare Edmonton - Edmonton

About ElderCare

ElderCare Edmonton provides the only community–based day programming for seniors in the city. These programs are situated in public centres, allowing seniors to remain in the community, where they can continue to enrich our society for as long as possible.

This allows seniors to:

• Foster new friendships.
• Enjoy therapeutic recreation while their caregivers take a break!
• Remain visible in the community.
• Maintain independence.
• Reduce isolation.

At ElderCare we are extremely passionate about what we do and the many clients we serve, we foster an environment of staff and volunteers who show compassion, kindness, patience and empathy to our clients and to one another. Our programs are a place where seniors come to have fun and feel good, and we foster a community where people feel safe and accepted. Our programs help clients strengthen their independence and quality of life, and have a chance to socialize and be involved in the community rather than isolated or alone. Our staff are knowledgeable and will advocate for our clients’ needs while providing them with any information or resources they require. All the services we offer are interrelated, without each other we could not provide the calibre of services that we do. Our passion is helping people and we are proud of the growth and changes made to increase the quality and quantity of services we have been able to provide throughout the years. We continually work towards learning and growing and look forward to meeting the needs of our current and future clientele.

History of ElderCare

The Association of Adult Social Day Programmes (AASDP Edmonton) evolved from a pilot project in 1979 designed and implemented by a Social Worker. It was initiated to provide support and relief to families caring for seniors in the community who did not require medical support and care after hospitalization, but still needed social stimulation and engagement. This was later expanded to include seniors living alone.

AASDP was formally incorporated as a non-profit society in December 1980 as the only formal social day support program for the frail elderly in Alberta. In the first 2 years programs were running at first the Good Samaritan Auxiliary Hospital, and then the Grey Nuns Regional Centre (Villa Marguerite) and Central Lions Senior’s Centre.

Initially the programs were not formally recognized or funded as an integral part of a continuum of services for seniors. The generous donation of space by Central Lions and the Grey Nuns Hospital made possible the operation of programs at the above sites. Additional support through Edmonton Family and Community Services (FCSS) allowed the expansion of the range of services including caregiver support.

In 1990 AASDP had a name change to The Association of Adult Day Support Programs (AADSP) in order to reflect its intent and mandate, and to assist in the development of a network of programs within the City of Edmonton.

In 2007 the program at Villa Marguerite moved to its current location, the West Edmonton Seniors Activity Centre. That year also marked the rebranding of the organization’s name and logo to ElderCare Edmonton Society for Adult Day Programs (ECE).

In 2006 ECE signed its first formal contract with the Capital Health Authority which enabled the Society to increase and enhance services for our clients. Then in 2015 Alberta Health Services (AHS) awarded a similar contract establishing AHS as the formal gatekeeper for client entry into the programs.

ECE remains the only community-based day program for seniors operating out of West End Seniors Centre, Central Lions Seniors Centre, and since 2017, Fulton School.