Drumheller Seniors Coalition
This is a great article regarding the work that the Drumheller Seniors Coalition is doing in our community ❤️
Why the Secret to Better Senior Care Might Be a “Difficult” Teenager (and 3 Other Lessons from Drumheller)
In the quiet corners of our communities, senior care is often reduced to a functional checklist of medication, meals, and basic safety. This approach keeps bodies healthy, but it frequently leaves the person inside those bodies feeling “lost” or relegated to the background of their own lives. True care requires more than just being in the room; it requires a bridge of meaningful connection that restores a person’s presence in the world.
Insights from Drumheller, shared by Amanda Panisiak, reveal that the antidote to senior isolation often comes from the most unexpected sources. Through the stories of the Drumheller Community Seniors Coalition and we see that transforming care from a service into a relationship requires a shift in how we view both our seniors and our youth.
A “Warm Welcome” is a Functional Medical Tool
The walking program at the BCF, facilitated by Emily, is a masterclass in need-based social innovation. Amanda and her team didn’t just invite active seniors; they specifically identified those who were “lost” to the facility—the people who had the physical need to move but lacked the social confidence to walk through the doors.
For these seniors, social anxiety and the fear of the unknown are as much of a health barrier as a heart condition. The “medical tool” used to solve this wasn’t a prescription, but a “smile waiting at the door.” Emily’s role was to be that “friendly face” that neutralized the barrier of isolation.
“Who did we know is not going to get there without some support, without knowing there’s that friendly face? … Who were the people that really needed that extra hand, that warm welcome, that kind of smile waiting at the door?” — Amanda Panisiak
The program includes snacks and water breaks, which are just as vital as the laps on the track. These moments of visiting allow participants to build an “external social network.” By focusing on the “warm welcome,” the program transforms a physical exercise into a social lifeline.
Takeaway 1: We Are Underestimating the Impact of Teenagers
The “gold standard” for intergenerational programming is often the pairing of seniors with toddlers or young children. However, we are missing a massive opportunity by overlooking teenagers a group often unfairly labeled as “difficult” or unengaged. In Drumheller, the pairing of students aged 13+ with seniors has proven to be an engine for mutual respect.
The energy of a teenager is “refreshing” to a senior. It isn’t just about play; it’s about a vibrant exchange of worlds. When teenagers share their plans or their use of technology, it helps seniors to reminisce about their own youth. They don’t just talk about the weather; they talk about the “shenanigans” and the trouble they got into when they were seventeen.
This “knowledge sharing” creates a unique dynamic of mutual respect. The teenager realizes that their actions have a profound, positive impact on someone else’s life, and the senior finds a way to bridge the gap between their memories and the modern world. “We underestimate often those teenage years. So, we really could take advantage that they can be responsible… [they] can really have an impact on older adults if we provide them with the right opportunity.” — Amanda Panisiak
Takeaway 2: The Difference Between “Presence” and “Purpose”
Consider the story of a local senior, MJ. Since 2021, going on five years she has had services coming into her home. For a long time, these services were “the basics.” In practice, this meant a caregiver was physically in the room, but the interaction was passive often just someone “sitting with her watching TV.”
“It’s that difference between someone being present in a room and being a body sitting beside someone and someone actually being engaged and adding value to someone’s life.” — Amanda Panisiak
The shift happened when a Recreational Therapist was introduced to provide purposeful, tailored one-on-one support. There is a vast psychological difference between being “monitored” and being “engaged.” Being a “body sitting beside someone” can deepen a senior’s sense of isolation by highlighting their lack of agency. Purposeful engagement, however, validates their humanity. It shifts the narrative from “caring for” to “adding value to” a life.
Takeaway 3:
Emily didn’t come to the Big Country PCN with a mile-long resume of administrative certifications. Instead, she was hired because of a “small town” connection—the kind where a reputation for character precedes an application. Amanda Panisiak and her collaborator, Kim, who leads the day program, recognized that Emily possessed a “special personality” that no textbook can teach.
This specific temperament is a delicate balance: being outgoing enough to host a group yet possessing what Amanda calls a “soft approach.” It is a gentle, inviting energy that makes a senior feel safe rather than managed. While Emily was initially brought in for admin work, her ability to interact in a supported environment alongside Kim quickly proved that her real value was relational.
In senior care, hiring for personality is a strategic necessity. Task-based efficiency can ensure a room is set up, but only the right personality can “welcome them into the BCF” in a way that makes them want to return.
“I think sometimes it’s having connections to someone, knowing that they’re a great fit personality wise to work with a group of seniors. So, it does take someone with a special personality.” — Amanda Panisiak
Takeaway 4: The Career-Altering Potential of Exposure
The impact of this work is a two-way street. Working with seniors at the BCF completely changed Emily’s career trajectory. Through her time joking and laughing with the group, she saw the tangible impact she had on seniors, leading her to pivot her future career toward helping others.
“Until a student has an opportunity to see work that like what we do, how do they know that they could love this work or that this work even exists?” — Amanda Panisiak
This highlights a systemic issue: many students don’t know this world exists. They don’t realize that social innovation and senior care can be a source of joy and professional fulfillment. By providing an “easy opportunity to engage,” we aren’t just helping seniors; we are cultivating a new generation of empathetic leaders.
Giving a Voice to the “Forgotten”
The goal of the work in Drumheller is to ensure that no one in the community feels “lost.” The perception of aging for many is that is limiting for seniors, when this is untrue and is proven time and time again that people can do remarkable things at any age. Our job is to provide the presence and the platform that allows those things to happen.
By leveraging the underestimated energy and responsibility of our local youth, we do more than just provide care; we give a voice back to those who thought they had been forgotten.
Looking for services like Drumheller’s in your area?
If you’re a senior or an organization looking for collaboration opportunities, connect with Amanda and Drumheller Community Seniors Coalition or find other services in your area by using the System Map at https://corealberta.ca/cbss-systems-map
