Two initiatives aimed at promoting improved well-being for Peterborough seniors — one through nutritional support and another in the realm of mental health care — have each received financial boosts.
The Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF) has announced the recipients of its second annual senior care micro grant program. GPHSF announced the recipients of the two grants, made available to support senior care projects and healthy aging initiatives within the Peterborough area, on Thursday (December 11).
Curve Lake First Nation’s Home and Community Care and Mental Health Project and One City Peterborough’s Nutritional Support for At-Risk Seniors Project have each received $5,000.
“Our hope for each senior care grant is to provide a positive impact on the quality of life for as many seniors as possible,” GPHSF executive director Vince Bierworth told kawarthaNOW.
“These grants are designed to either act as seed money to launch a project or to help with the continuation of an existing project. If they are able to be the starting point of something that makes a positive impact on our senior population or offers the ability to continue a project already making a positive impact for our senior population, then they have accomplished what we hoped for them.”
Back in August, the foundation announced that its senior care micro grant program was back for a second year. In a media release announcing this year’s recipients, Bierworth said narrowing down all the applications was “a difficult process.”
“Our recipients this year address both mental and physical health concerns, as well as nutritional concerns with some of the most vulnerable in our community,” Bierworth said.
“Our committee, which was made up of healthcare professionals and community members, were very impressed with the quality and variety of projects submitted. After much deliberation, they settled upon two projects that will have both an immediate and lasting impact for seniors and elders in our community.”
Curve Lake First Nation said in its application that the Home and Community Care and Mental Health Project is addressing a critical gap in senior care by providing culturally relevant mental health and wellness supports to Elders that are not currently available in the Curve Lake community.
“There are limited opportunities for Elders to engage in programming that integrates mental, emotional, spiritual, and cultural well-being,” the Curve Lake application stated, adding that elders often face isolation, challenges with life transitions, and limited access to traditional knowledge and healing practices.
“By offering biweekly gatherings that combine cultural teachings, land-based activities, art therapy, addictions awareness, and connections to community partners, this project fills an unmet need and ensures our elders are supported in a holistic and culturally safe way.”
Nicole Capalbo, home and community care manager at Curve Lake Health Centre, said Curve Lake Home and Community Care, in partnership with Mental Health Services, is “grateful and deeply appreciative” for the grant.
“Our Elders are a vital part of our community and this funding will be put to great use in enhancing culturally grounded mental health and wellness supports,” Capalbo stated. “This investment strengthens our ability to care for our Elders in meaningful ways that honour their dignity, identity, and overall well-being.”
In its application, One City highlighted the need for a nutrition project for at-risk seniors who are unsheltered or marginalized in the community.
“Seniors make up 35 per cent of the individuals accessing drop-in services on a regular basis, many of whom also have complex nutritional needs due to chronic illness, diabetes, exposure related injuries, chronic malnutrition, and severe dental decay, among other factors,” One City noted. “This project will identify marginalized seniors with high nutritional needs that are not being met and provide interventions to offset their risk of associated health burdens.”
Danita Gilbert, nurse care coordinator with One City Peterborough, said the pilot project will allow One City to gather valuable data about the impact of nutrition on health for the most marginalized seniors in the community, in addition to providing direct nutritional interventions.
“One City Peterborough is very grateful that we will be able to use this grant to do just a little bit more to help those folks who face elevated health risks when they are unable to meet their nutritional needs,” Gilbert said. “We hope that this data can provide a foundation for development of a longer-term, targeted nutrition program.”
According to GPSFH, the senior care micro grant program will return in August 2026 with the next request for applications.
When the GPHSF was first established (originally called St. Joseph’s Care Foundation) in 1999, its primary focus was to fund senior care projects and healthy aging initiatives within the Peterborough community.
While the foundation has grown, taken on new partnerships, expanded its focus, and adopted a new name — GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation — since then, senior care has remained a primary and important focus for funding.
The grants have been made possible due to funding provided by the June Towle Trust. Towle passed away in 2023. As part of her legacy, she established the June Towle Trust that would see money from her estate be donated to the GPHSF upon her passing.
Community members interested in making a donation to support the GPHSF’s senior care fund can visit www.gphsf.ca or call 705-740-8074.
