Grant: Operating Grant: Voluntary Sector Knowledge Mobilization Support Grant

Target audience: Our target audience is all older adults living on Bowen Island (Nexwelelexwm). Bowen is a small rural island community. In 2021, 4,256 people lived in 1,725 households. The median age was 50 years and just over 25% were 65+ years of age (i.e., we are a super-aged community). Bowen is a 20-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver, but a world away in terms of the availability of services for older adults. SKY (Seniors Keeping Young) recently celebrated its 30th anniversary as a registered not-for-profit volunteer organization on Bowen whose mission is to promote the physical and mental well-being of island residents who are 55+ years old. SKY membership languished during COVID, but there has been an enthusiastic rebound, with 150 members (22% men) in 2024 and rapid is anticipated. Rationale: SKY already offers activities every day of the week, including a stretch and strength exercise, musical movement with music provided by a talented local pianist, walks on forest trails, yoga, board games, a speakers’ series, and a monthly bus trip to interesting nearby places. We do not have a dedicated seniors’ centre as would exist in city neighbourhoods, but in 2025 we hope to expand our membership and programming. This proposal offers an opportunity to engage in the mobilization of evidence-based knowledge on healthy aging as we expand. Objectives: 1. Increase the number of older adults, including men, involved in SKY to double in 2025. 2. Build on our existing program by introducing a systematic approach to building knowledge and skills for brain health and healthy aging that will be sustained. 3. Open communication and collaborations between SKY and community health and municipal services providers in new community facilities so that older adults can thrive on Bowen.