BACKGROUND TO BNSSCF:
From my early childhood, I recall always being very interested in the well-being of the elderly. Thus, in 1963 when I became one of the successful applicants for one of the spaces on the Canadian Immigration Overseas Domestic Program, I knew at that time that I had been given an opportunity that many women dreamed of having.
From my early childhood, I recall always being very interested in the well-being of the elderly. Thus, in 1963 when I became one of the successful applicants for one of the spaces on the Canadian Immigration Overseas Domestic Program, I knew at that time that I had been given an opportunity that many women dreamed of having.
From 1979 in Alberta, my earliest involvement in women’s organizations such as The Alberta Status of Women Action Committee, The National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women, The Black Women’s Association of Alberta, The National Household Careers Corporation, The Alberta Advisory Council on Women’s Issues, The Native, Immigrant and Visible Minority Women’s Committee; instilled in me the need for representation of the elderly in our society
Thus, in 1997, I organized meetings with some key community members, Andrew Macpherson, Doreen Hill, George Van Ee, Gordon Sadool, Kevin Feehan, Norma Spicer and Sheila Schumacher. Three participants were retired seniors, two active Lawyers, one Resource Centre Coordinator and one Diversity Consultant. In 1998 the Bernadette N. Swan Social Care Foundation was registered a Charity with Revenue Canada and the main objective being to provide social care for the elderly.
In providing this service one soon realizes that there are many streams of elderly who need social care. There are the elderly of the visible minority stream whose isolation is connected to their despondency due to the barrier they experience which is brought on by language and cultural differences. A general response is to be afraid to give voice to their feelings. They accept things as they are. Thus in 2003, the Bernadette N. Swan Social Care Foundation took the initiative to conduct a research and to collect information about the well-being of Black Seniors in Edmonton from the African, Caribbean, Black Canadian and larger communities.
The Photo above is:
Bernadette Nelberta Swan BA, M.T.S.
The Founder of this organization on January 07, 1998
Bernadette N. Swan Social Care Foundation
