One of the many challenges people face as they get older is getting around and, for over a quarter of a century, one man has been doing all he can to help out.
When Jim Swift took early retirement from his job as a petroleum geologist in 1990, he wanted to keep busy with volunteering opportunities; something new that he’d never done before.
“One morning, I saw in the local newspaper a tiny little advertisement and it said, ‘desperately in need of drivers to take seniors to their appointments’, and I thought, well maybe I’ll give that a try.”
The ad was for the organization called Calgary Community Support Services, but it has since merged with other groups to become the Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society.
Now, 26 years later, the 81-year-old Swift is still driving. He has fewer trips these days, but he is still a vital part of the organization, officials say.
“He has been the heart and soul of the program in helping those seniors get safely to their medical appointments, because it’s very stressful sometimes when you’re going to a medical appointment and just being dropped off at the door by a taxi doesn’t lend the support that those seniors need,” said Dianne Cooper-Pointe, the coordinator with the society.
She says that he even goes the extra mile with his core group of seniors, making their appointments for them as well as making sure they get there safely.
“I’ve made some good friends amongst the people that I’ve driven,” he said.
For all he’s done to help support seniors in Calgary, Jim Swift in our Inspired Albertan this week.
(With files from Darrel Janz)
