Nova Scotia 55+ Games Receives Age-Friendly Community Grant

NOTE TO EDITORS: Minister of Seniors Leo Glavine will participate as an athlete on the South Shore men’s hockey team and will help officially open the Nova Scotia 55+ Games at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1 at Oland Stadium, St. F.X. University, Antigonish. The ceremonies will be held in the MacKay Room in Bloomfield Centre on the campus if it rains.

Older Nova Scotians benefit from staying active and government’s investment in the Nova Scotia 55+ Games is helping to support them.

The Department of Seniors has invested $25,000 to help support this year’s 55+ Games in Antigonish Aug. 1 to 3. Over 700 older athletes are participating.

Minister of Seniors Leo Glavine is one of them. He is playing with the South Shore men’s hockey team.

“I’m really looking forward to being a part of these games and getting on the ice,” said Minister Glavine. “On behalf of the province I’d like to wish the over 700 athletes taking part in the 55+ Games a fun and rewarding experience. This is a great example of how important, and fun, it is to stay engaged and active as we age.”

The investment in the games comes from the Age Friendly Communities grant program. It provides funding up to $25,000 for projects that lead to more age-friendly communities and that help advance the goals of SHIFT: Nova Scotia’s Action Plan for an Aging Population. One of the goals of SHIFT is to promote healthy, active living.

Last year, the grant program provided $412,000 to 35 projects that included a 55+ club in Hants County, a province-wide strategy for dementia friendly communities, projects that combat social isolation, and many more.

Applications for the Age-Friendly Community Grant will be accepted until Jan. 20. For more information on how to apply visit https://novascotia.ca/age-friendly-grant/.

Launched in 2017, SHIFT: Nova Scotia’s Action Plan for an Aging Population focuses on shifting the way we think about older Nova Scotians. The 52 concrete actions, involving nine departments across government, support and recognize the social and economic contributions of older Nova Scotians.

For more information on SHIFT, visit https://novascotia.ca/shift/