{"id":90366,"date":"2025-09-25T17:01:47","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T21:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/?p=90366"},"modified":"2025-10-03T15:07:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T19:07:00","slug":"here-were-not-gray-were-alive-the-lives-of-seniors-at-the-scama-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/blog\/here-were-not-gray-were-alive-the-lives-of-seniors-at-the-scama-center\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHere, we’re not gray, we’re alive\u201d: the lives of seniors at the SCAMA Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Andr\u00e9e found that time was passing slowly at home with her husband. \u201cApart from watching TV or calling a friend on the phone, we didn\u2019t do much,\u201d she says. \u201cWe wanted to go out, but where could we go? To the mall? It\u2019s boring! We sat around all day, but I wanted to move!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recognizing the desire for more activity, the 75-year-old woman started going to the SCAMA Centre in Laval. For 40 years, this community agency has been serving seniors with reduced independence, providing services and activities that let them stay active and connected to their community while continuing to live in their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n

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We\u2019re still mobile, so why stay at home?\u201d – Andr\u00e9e<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI see in the media that many seniors are abused or isolated,\u201d Andr\u00e9e says. \u201cThat\u2019s why I wanted to come because here, seniors are well looked after and can get help. You make friends and there are lots of interesting activities. And the staff are warm and wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magda, 69, also finds that every visit gives her a burst of energy. Magda takes three buses to get to the Centre. \u201cIf I lived closer, I would come every day,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cOn Mondays there\u2019s yoga, on Tuesdays dancing, on Thursdays chair or standing exercises. I come home full of energy and very happy.\u201d – Magda<\/h4>\n<\/div>
\"Femme<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Beyond the physical activity, Andr\u00e9e highlights the sense of community, which makes all the difference. \u201cWe gather around a table, catch up on each other\u2019s news and play cards,\u201d she says. \u201cWe feel comfortable here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Services designed to stay active and connected<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is no shortage of things to do at the SCAMA Centre: yoga, creative workshops, French classes, coffee klatches, outings. Seniors can also get home-delivered meals, friendly phone calls and visits, or respite for their caregivers. It\u2019s all designed to help members remain independent, active and part of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bingo is one of the most popular activities. \u201cI just wish they would increase the value of the cards a bit!\u201d jokes Hani, 63. He is also a fan of the dance parties. He never misses one, especially when they play disco music from the \u201970s and \u201980s. \u201cDisco reminds us of our youth!\u201d he says with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cAfter 50 years, you want to pass on what you\u2019ve experienced and share your stories.\u201d – Hani<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To foster relationships across generations, SCAMA has set up an intergenerational committee with Saint-Maxime School. The seniors have met high school students, gone on an outing to a sugar shack together, attended a party at the school and enjoyed a meal prepared by the students. \u201cWe\u2019re not left out,\u201d they explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to its regular activities, the SCAMA center is also investing in innovative projects to make its services even more inclusive. Through the Philia Project<\/strong>, carried out in collaboration with UQAM, the agency is developing a toolkit and training sessions to help volunteers and professionals better welcome seniors from cultural communities. The goal? To break their isolation, foster intercultural connections, and prevent mistreatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cComing here brings me a lot of positivity. It brings me joy. I feel comfortable here. I come and stay as long as I like, depending on my schedule for the day.\u201d \u2013 Andr\u00e9e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A centre that radiates life<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere, we form lasting friendships and share memories,\u201d says Magda. These connections extend beyond the centre: \u201cWe get together with the friends we\u2019ve made here outside the centre as well,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe meet at a restaurant, we arrange to meet up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magda is proud of her involvement in the SCAMA Centre: \u201cMy children are very happy about it. They tell everyone they know who doesn\u2019t have a community to come and see me at the centre,\u201d she says with a laugh. \u201cThey want me to set an example and encourage others to break out of their isolation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Groupe<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Andr\u00e9e ended up bringing her husband. \u201cAt first, he categorically refused to come to SCAMA,\u201d she recalls. \u201cToo many women, it\u2019s not for men! But I convinced him. He finally agreed\u2014and he loves it!\u201d Now they both come every day. Through the card games, shared laughs with new friends and fitness activities, her husband has rediscovered the joy of getting out and being active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andr\u00e9e sums it up this way: \u201cHere, we\u2019re not grey, we\u2019re alive! We\u2019re still mobile, so why stay at home?\u201d For these seniors, SCAMA is more than just a place to take part in activities: it\u2019s a space for living, joy and sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Discover what makes the SCAMA Center so unique<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the article<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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1 out of 5 people receives our help.
5 out of 5 people benefit from it.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s all lend a hand<\/font><\/b><\/span>\n <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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DONATE<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Supporting a network of over 375 community agencies also means promoting an inclusive, poverty-free society.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Andr\u00e9e found that time was passing slowly at home with her husband. \u201cApart from watching TV or calling a friend on the phone, we didn\u2019t do much,\u201d she says. \u201cWe wanted to go out, but…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":90359,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[674,682],"tags":[683,742],"content-type":[493],"sector":[30],"class_list":["post-90366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-inclusion","category-neighbourhood-life","tag-seniors","tag-community-action","content-type-articles-en","sector-laval"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-28 04:31:34","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90366"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90988,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90366\/revisions\/90988"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90366"},{"taxonomy":"content-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-type?post=90366"},{"taxonomy":"sector","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sector?post=90366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}