Timeless Generation Podcast Special: Interview with LOFT Community Services

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For our third issue of “The Timeless Generation’s” special podcast on Senior issues, Jenna and Jessica visited one of LOFT’s offices to meet with program director, William Shin, and have a conversation about the agency and the work that they do.

To listen to the interview, click here:
https://www.regentparkfocus.com/radio/media/timelessgen/more/LOFT_2019-04-15.mp3

If you do not have time to have a listen, but are still interested to hear more about LOFT please read the summary below:

What is LOFT all about?

Loft is a community based social service agency that provides services for youth, adults and seniors with a focus on mental health and addictions services. Geographically, LOFT generally covers the GTA and York Region, with most supports being housing based.

Aptly named, LOFT stands for “a leap of faith together” and thereby seeks to serve historically underserved populations that have been afflicted with mental health and addiction challenges.

LOFT’s mission in a nutshell is all about hope and recovery for people. The notion that together, we can all live successfully within the community, and that this definition of success has a different meaning for everyone.

What kind of programming does LOFT have for seniors

LOFT has plenty of housing related programming for seniors, from short term respite (for both seniors and caregivers) to transitional housing, to permanent housing, where the goal is always to have people live independently within the community.

LOFT also has behavioural support services which seek to address underlining unmet needs that might be contributing to behavioural challenges in seniors, as well as numerous drop in programs that are very low barrier and don’t require registration.

LOFT seeks to approach all of their programming with a holistic approach, one that aims to cover social determinants of health in addition to the medical side of things.

In addition to this holistic approach, and a desire to integrate seniors into the community, other issues LOFT focuses on include social isolation in seniors, reconnecting seniors with their families, countering stigma (particularly in the older generations where mental health challenges were previously seen as a moral failing), and using an integrated treatment approach, rather than focusing on challenges in an isolated manner.
  
Why everyone should care about these issues, regardless of age? 

Will succinctly sums this up with a famous quote: “the greatness of society is determined by how we treat our weakest members.” Mental health touches all of us, and therefore, as compassionate, empathetic human begins (who all inevitably age), we should care.

Can a person become involved with LOFT?

In order to become involved with LOFT either as a service user or as a volunteer, the best way to go is to call the main line (listed below) where one will be connected to the proper channels.

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To listen to the entire podcast, please visit: https://www.regentparkfocus.com/radio/media/timelessgen/more/LOFT_2019-04-15.mp3

For more information on LOFT, please visit: https://www.loftcs.org/
Or call their hotline: 416-979-1994



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