Seniors in the community are benefiting from a snow removal service, operated by Interior Community Services (ICS) through United Way, amidst a cold snap that has seen plenty of snowfall. The Better at Home program offers free snow shoveling services to a number of seniors in the community, along with other services to aid their independence.
Better at Home is administered in the Merritt area by ICS, a multi service non-profit looking to support seniors, families, and individuals. The program offers snow removal services free of charge to a number of seniors in the community, as well as light housekeeping and yard maintenance work at a subsidized rate. Organizers told the Herald enrolment is growing fast.
“This year we were able to add additional participants to the program,” said Amanda Pryzner-Dunn, program coordinator with Better at Home.
“Our contractors are providing service to 50 residents in Merritt that are seniors. We did 42 last year, so we’ve been able to go up.”
The snow removal program offered through Better at Home is a partnership between ICS and local contractor High Mountain Ventures. They remove snow within the time requirements set out in the City’s bylaws, and as quickly as possible for the safety of residents.
“We’re really happy to be providing this as a service, and the team that High Mountain Ventures have are amazing,” said Pryzner-Dunn.
“I just met with them again yesterday to have lunch and see how things were going, and they’re a great group that really appreciate doing the work for seniors.”
Due to the program’s popularity, the snow removal service is at capacity. The waitlist is quite lengthy, but seniors are encouraged to contact Better at Home through ICS to check their eligibility. Not all services offered by Better at Home are free of charge, but all have been subsidized to lessen their financial burden.
Merritt falls within Better at Home’s Nicola catchment area, which also includes Lower Nicola, Aspen Grove, Brookmere, and Quilchena. While the services offered by Better at Home are generally not administered by volunteers for liability reasons, volunteers for administrative and support positions are welcomed by the organization, along with financial contributions.
For more information on the Better at Home program, visit the program’s website at www.betterathome.ca. For eligibility information on the snow removal program, and other services, call ICS at 250-376-3660.
