Seniors Tea Is For Everyone

There is going to be time to reminisce, talk about and experience the past in an interactive setting as the Western Development Museum (WDM) - 50 Diefenbaker Drive - presents its third annual Senior's Week Tea on September 28th at 2 pm.

Although billed for seniors the tea is open for all ages says Karla Rasmussen education and public programs coordinator at the WDM.

“We let people self identify as seniors,” Rasmussen said adding the tea is for everyone.

“it's for people of all ages and we encourage seniors to bring their grandchildren and children to come and see and talk about the past “

The format of the presentation is where artifacts are passed around for people take a look at and then discuss, she said.

“Many people may never have seen the artifact and the seniors can explain how the item was part of their lives…younger people learn about the past…it is better when it's experienced intergenerationally.”

“If we don't talk about these things we are going to lose them and part of our history,” she said.

“It is important to bring your children and grandchildren.”

The presentation will also include enlarged photos depicting life in the past.

“We go back to the Twenties and Thirties. A little portion we go yo the Great Depression,” she said, adding with many seniors born later the presentation has to be moved forward a little bit to the Forties and Fifties.

The reason why the artifacts are passed around and discussed is the program is designed to “trigger memories and discussion” from those who remember the items from their lives.

An example of where this has occurred she said was in a recent outreach visit to a seniors home where the artifacts discussed were sad irons and the first electric irons.

The sad iron, which sat on top of a wood stove, were large heavy steel irons which held heat. They had a detachable handle and usually more than one of the heavy iron portion was used with the extras on the stove hot and ready to use when one iron cooled off.

“We had a lively discussion about where a few people remembered having no electricity to having electricity and how that changed their lives,” Rasmussen said.

Residents of the seniors homes are invited to the tea but if they cannot get out due to mobility and other issues, Rasmussen said the WDM goes to them with their outreach program.

The interactive and discussion part of the program should last about hour depending on the engagement level.

“So much depends on interaction,” which is encouraged, she said.

As part of the program there will be discussion about the Coffee Club.

Although details are still being finalized the Coffee Club is slated to be a similar event but using only one artifact.

“It will be open to a wide variety of folks and it will be held on a weekday…it will introduce people to new people and help combat a little bit of the isolation on our community and people more active.”

The tea will be served by the Little Prairie Charm boutique and tea room and is sponsored by Harbour Landing Village from Regina.

Cost for the tea only is $5 but it is included fir free with museum admission or a WDM membership.

The tea kicks off Seniors Week in Saskatchewan which runs from September 29th to October 5th.