Calgary Seniors supports older adults through volunteer-driven programs that reduce isolation and help seniors live independently with confidence. Their goal is to build inclusive, connected communities where everyone, regardless of age, can thrive.
We spoke with Brittany Romansky, Practical Supports Manager in the Senior Social Supports department, to learn how her team uses programs like Essential Transportation, Practical Kindness, and Pet Assist to address real-life barriers seniors face and why volunteer connection is at the heart of everything they do.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Calgary Seniors’ mission is to create, coordinate, and provide personalized, client-centred support that helps older adults navigate their aging journey with confidence. Our vision is inclusive, connected communities where everyone, no matter their age, can thrive.
I work in the Senior Social Supports department, which uses volunteers to support seniors. My portfolio in Practical Supports includes Essential Transportation, Practical Kindness, and Pet Assist. In these programs, volunteers help seniors get to medical appointments, run errands, complete small one-time tasks, or care for their beloved pets. These programs are designed to reduce isolation and remove everyday barriers that many seniors face, helping them stay independent and feel less alone.
Our work is made possible by volunteers who show up with kindness, reliability, and a desire to make a difference. One simple way to get involved is to become a Kind Driver. This means you are volunteering your time driving seniors to essential locations like the doctor’s office, the grocery store, self-care appointments, or the bank. These rides have a profound impact, whether it’s helping them feel refreshed after a haircut or having an important medical appointment. Every ride, visit, or small act of help contributes to a stronger, more compassionate community.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Calgary Seniors aims to solve senior isolation. Senior isolation is often caused and made worse by barriers within existing systems and a lack of accessible, people-focused support. Many seniors face challenges like reduced mobility, limited income, or difficulty navigating services, which can leave them feeling disconnected and overlooked.
Our Seniors Social Supports department addresses these issues by bringing people together through caring, volunteer-driven programs. These programs reduce loneliness, provide practical assistance, and create meaningful, one-on-one connections between seniors and volunteers. Our focus is on filling the everyday gaps, offering flexible, real-life support that empowers seniors to stay independent and engaged. Volunteers are the heart of this approach, providing not just help, but human connection, friendship, and trust.
We also work alongside social workers, meaning that our senior clients are getting a wide breadth of support and resources.
When did you start/join it?
I joined Calgary Seniors in November 2018 as a Program Coordinator for the Practical Kindness program.
What made you want to get involved?
I always felt really connected to seniors in general. I grew up in an intergenerational household, and I saw my family caregiving for our elders, and I was fortunate to have very close relationships with them.
My Nana Shirley is the reason I’m so passionate about supporting seniors. I was fortunate to live with her as a child and later provide care as she aged. Helping her through the many transitions of aging was a true privilege, and one I’m deeply grateful for. That experience shaped how I see my work at Calgary Seniors. Many of the older adults we support don’t have a social network to lean on. That’s why I’m so passionate about our volunteer programs – they create those much-needed social connections!
I knew I wanted to work with seniors, and when I graduated from university, I was a research assistant for the University of Alberta, and as a part of that role, I went to many long-term care facilities, interviewing health care aides for a research project. I was able to meet a lot of different seniors and fell in love with the senior sector even more.
What was the situation like when you started? How has it changed since?
The demand for our programs continues to grow each year and doesn’t show signs of slowing down. During COVID, a lot of people were able to identify with seniors and their isolation through lockdown, and we saw huge growth in volunteer participation across all programs. However, in the post-COVID landscape, volunteer numbers have declined, even as client demand remains high.
PK will always be my pride and joy, as it fills gaps. It helps seniors with those things that don’t fit in traditional programs, whether that be other programs within S3 or at other agencies. My team gets to be creative and think outside the box when working with these unique requests from seniors.
It is amazing work, and I love to see the connections volunteers and seniors make.
We had a client during COVID whose husband had recently passed away. She called because she needed help doing home maintenance tasks that her husband would do. She wanted someone to teach her so she could remain independent. The volunteer she was matched with really hit it off with her, providing not only a source of joy during a time of grief but also helping her regain a sense of independence. They really empowered her.
What more needs to be done?
A million things! Since COVID, there’s been increased awareness of seniors’ needs, but we still lack the systems and resources required to support them effectively. We also need to reduce the red tape that makes accessing support so difficult. We need to support community-based organizations that get people organized at the neighbourhood level. It’s so important to get to know people and connect on a human-to-human level.
Transportation continues to be the number one barrier for seniors to live independently in their own homes. Without transportation, they can’t get to a medical appointment or stay connected to their community, which is incredibly important to healthy aging. Being socially isolated impacts you emotionally, physically, financially, and psychologically.
How can our readers help?
By volunteering! We have a high need for kind drivers in all transportation programs. We currently have 700 seniors on the wait list, so if you want to become a driver, please go to our website: Volunteer Application Form
To double your impact, you can donate, but sometimes donating your time is the best thing you can do!
What makes us unique is that we are flexible and have a lot of different types of volunteer opportunities. You can pop in and out of our on-demand programs, like Practical Kindness, or be in a long-term match with a regular volunteer schedule. We receive different types of requests, and you are able to pick your volunteering based on your own interests and availability.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Bridge to Oasis is an incredible local organization doing inspiring work. They host a variety of community events that bring people together, offering both education and connection in a welcoming environment. Their efforts to engage and empower community members truly encourage us to build stronger, more inclusive communities.
