The Canadian Mental Health Association South Cariboo Branch is piloting a new way to help seniors this year.
On Wednesday, June 25, longtime South Cariboo seniors advocate Sally Watson was appointed the CMHA's new senior outreach worker. Watson said her new role synergizes nicely with her previous experience advocating for and supporting senior citizens in her home community of 70 Mile House and beyond.
"The goal of the program is to help seniors feel safer and have a more complete life," Watson said. "I think that's the goal of everything I do."
Watson quipped that she tried to retire several years ago but was unsuccessful due to the amount of information and connections she's accrued over the years. She said she seeks to use this knowledge and her connections to better the community in any way she can.
As a result, she works for the B.C. Community Response Network, which shines a light on "the dark corners of elder abuse," and the Seniors Health and Wellness Institute, which hosts information workshops for seniors. In addition to her volunteer work, Watson is a former director of the Thompson Nicola Regional District, representing the 70 Mile House area.
The role of senior outreach worker is a new one, Watson said, and one she will work to define over the next several months. She noted that CMHA offered her the job after her daughter-in-law met with members of CMHA at the 2025 South Cariboo Women's Fair and put her name forward after learning about the program.
"This was a program that was offered to them through CMHA federal and they didn't have anyone to fill it. They tried to fill it internally, and then they reached out," Watson explained.
Watson said she's already begun receiving calls and working with clients. How this looks will be different from person to person.
Sometimes, all a senior will need is information on a service or help finding a contact of an organization or advocate. Other times, however, Watson said her role may become more hands-on, noting that she is willing to attend meetings with doctors, for example, to make sure seniors understand what professionals are telling them.
"Some people talk too fast or don't explain things properly. I can go into a doctor's office with somebody, take notes and make sure there is follow-up," Watson said. "That really will make a difference."
Housing and housing security are other areas Watson anticipates she'll receive calls on, noting it can be tough to maintain a home for widows and widowers. She will also be able to assist seniors with personalized care planning, provide emotional support and wellness check-ins and discuss financial and legal concerns.
Overall, Watson said the program is in its infancy, but she anticipates it growing rapidly as the word gets out. To that end, she attended the 2025 Seniors Resource Fair at the South Cariboo Rec Centre on June 26 to talk directly with those she'll be working with. She noted the program is currently set to run for the next six months.
"If we are successful at making a difference to the clients, there is hope that there will be more of the same," Watson said, noting that West Fraser is helping fund the program. "I'm really looking forward to tracking and seeing where you make a difference and where you're not making a difference."
Watson invites any senior in need of assistance, or any family member or caregiver of a senior, to contact her at 250-644-1687 or email swcmhasouthcariboo.org.
