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INUVIK
The Elders Day Program took advantage of a warm sunny day on Sept. 18 to enjoy the view of the river from the Inuvik Waterfront Park.

Emma Dick, left, and Ruth Alunik enjoy the sunshine at an outing for elders near the river on Sept. 18. - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

They were joined by long-term care residents from the Inuvik Regional Hospital.

The program runs Mondays through Thursdays and is designed to give elders a place to go for socializing and activities. Juanita Bourque normally works in long-term care but is working with the day program for the next year.

"It's run out of the hospital and we'll call people every morning to see if they want to come," she said.

"If they do, we'll pick them up."

The activities vary based on the interests of the participants, or in the case of the river outing, the weather.

"We have around 15 to 20 people every day," said Bourque.

"We encourage them to come out and enjoy life."

Exercise classes, arts and crafts, outings and running errands are just some of the weekly activities offered through the program.

"A lot of them don't have the means and the transportation to get out and do things," said Bourque.

"It's important, especially in the winter."

Elder Edward "Hoppy" Elanik took it upon himself to keep one of the fires going at the day's outing on the banks of the Mackenzie River.

"It's windy and you can't turn the grill to get it high," he said.

"Too bad you can't rotate these things like the ones at Campbell River."

Still recovering from recent surgery, elder Elijah Allen was perched between two of his friends.

"It's a beautiful day," he said.

Allen's daughter was visiting from Yellowknife but he didn't let that stop him from socializing in the park.

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